Time Goes By
by BeauteousCupcake
Summary: In their final year, Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger find themselves thrown together by Headmistress McGonagall who is eager to heal Hogwarts in the wake of the Second Great War against the Dark Lord. Both students are damaged, both physically and emotionally and don't know who to trust but they have to work together to protect themselves from those still loyal to Voldemort.
1. Breaking Rules

I don't own Harry Potter©. Harry Potter© is the property of J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers, and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only and to sate my love of the characters.

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 **Time Goes By.**

 **Chapter One: Breaking Rules.**

Hogwarts, October 1998.

The look in Draco Malfoy's eyes was the one that would strike fear into anyone who didn't know that the boy had changed somewhat in recent months. There had been times during what should have been the Summer holidays that Malfoy had believed himself to be losing a grasp on the shred on sanity he still had. His parents had been tried for the involvement in the Second Great War to inflict untold damage on the Wizarding world and Malfoy had had to endure seeing his beloved and fragile Mother; Narcissa being locked away in Azkaban. Even now, he wanted to kill the souls who had not seen how mentally unstable she had become and how imprisonment would only make her deteriorate further. How many hours he had spent trying to find someone in the Ministry of Magic to believe him, to see that she belonged in the wards of St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries rather than under lock, key and the watchful eyes of Dementors in the Wizarding prison.

Yes, he was still as arrogant as he had been when stepping onto the Hogwarts Express for the first time in September 1991. It was noted also that yes; he secretly liked how his appearance could still instil a sense of fear into the wide eyed first years students who were attending Hogwarts for the first time since the end of the war and the reconstructing of Hogwarts to its former glory for the most part. However what few knew about Draco Malfoy was that the months after the war ending and the weeks spent proving that he had indeed been a double agent for Dumbledore alongside Severus Snape, had provided the young man with invaluable introspective about the man he wanted to be. People also didn't know just who had been the unexpected light to his otherwise dark world and just who had been there to hold his hands when Aurors had explained that Lucius Malfoy despite his attempts to prove his loyalty to Voldemort and his fellow Death Eaters had been wavering for sometime, would indeed serve a decade in the formidable Azkaban. There had been regular letters between Draco Malfoy and the unknown friend every week right up until one especially pristine letter from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry arrived by owl to Malfoy Manor, Wiltshire. Then, there had been a delivery of a parcel from Honeydukes alongside a letter from the secretive friend celebrating the news that Draco had never believed to be possible for a misfit in the school as he.

Draco Malfoy was back at Hogwarts but he was no longer sleeping in the Slytherin Dormitories. He was now in fact, Head Boy of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and if it were possible; was even prouder than Percy Weasley had been several years before. Something, Draco would certainly not to be reminded of given his dislike for all things related to the Weasel and his family. The letter declaring the Headmistress McGonagall had chosen him alongside one third of the infamous Golden Trio; Miss Hermione Jean Granger had finalised the internal dilemmas Draco had been battling since the horrific scenes of his school had finally ended with the demise of the Dark Lord. Draco Malfoy had attained through the many letters that had arrived by owl and through conversations with his conscience that he could not only become a man of worth in his own right. He had also come to the conclusion that following the words and ideals of especially Lucius and indirectly, the Dark Lord Voldemort would have led to him losing the shred of humanity he wanted to see flourish and time spent within the intimidating walls of Azkaban alongside his Father and various Death Eaters who had sat around his dining room table gloating in the prospect of death and the demoralisation of anyone who didn't follow the same narrow minded beliefs that the Dark Lord had possessed. Now as he wove his way through the various halls that were quiet albeit for the prefects checking for anyone being out of bed past the still enforced curfew, his mind was on the female who had been given the same role as he too protect pupils and support the various Professors in guiding new generations of British Witches and Wizards towards their bright futures. Miss Granger hadn't done as she was told, and Draco had been given a quiet warning from McGonagall that he best not have upset the proclaimed ' _greatest witch for a generation_ '. It had taken a good hour in the Headmistress's private office that was so different that when Dumbledore and his phoenix, Fawkes had resided there; to convince her that he hadn't even see the Gryffindor student bar in transfiguration and potions that day.

 _"I want you to put aside house rivalry Mister Malfoy and offer Miss Granger every assistance you can. I am more than aware that you are both still suffering in the aftermath of the war but life here must go on; I am sure you will agree that Hogwarts should be returned to a place of learning and not a graveyard for the many we all lost."_

Her tone had been gentle, as had the gentle caress of his shoulder which had surprised Draco no end; everyone knew that McGonagall as the former Head of Gryffindor was fiercely loyal to the house of Godric Gryffindor and hated Slytherin; its rival. However, Draco had also agreed with her.

Life indeed had to go on, and even though there were now large plaques being erected listing the dead of each house? The dead could be honoured for their sacrifice (even those loyal to the Dark Lord it seemed strangely enough) by simply living. Malfoy had embraced that belief with both hands and was doing his up most to convince his fellow students that the time for insulting those of Muggle parentage was over... that their parents were wrong and had been proven so.

Which was why he was here, deviating from his responsibility to ensure all was calm in the halls student wise and Peeves was prevented from his antics that were slowly returning to the hallowed halls of Hogwarts. Glancing up, his silver-grey eyes focused on the four large and elaborately framed paintings depicting the four founders of Hogwarts. It seemed he had walked in on and argument between the two men which was no surprise.

Godric Gryffindor and Salazar and Slytherin were bickering over who would win the House Cup this year whilst Rowena Ravenclaw and Helga Hufflepuff looked on with amusement on both their faces.

 _"Of course Gryffindor will win, we have Harry Potter as Seeker and he's caught the snitch in numerous matches and do remember he was the first Seeker to be chosen in his first year in a cen.."_

 _"In a century, yes how many times will you make me hear that Godric, I'm quite aware of Potter's record but we have young Mister Draco Malfoy and he's quite the Quidditch player and a perfect Slytherin student!_

 _Ah, Draco my boy what are you up to this evening? It's been a long time since I saw the youngest member of the Slytherin family; it's good to see you again."_

Wishing to disappear into the stone flooring at the jovial nature his great-great something grandfather treated him; Draco murmured that he was indeed well and wouldn't be drawn into the argument that would carry on until the first games of the Quidditch season had taken place. Apparently, the stadium had finally been rebuilt and it was good to know that the crater he had stumbled through in a bid to stay alive was now back to being the smooth Quidditch pitch that bought joy to everyone of the four houses.

What they needed here, as Headmistress McGonagall had been aware of, was a sensible mix of normality and remembrance. Nothing would ever be the same, but the school would heal together..hopefully. It was that reason, that made Draco believe to be why he had been chosen as Head Boy alongside a Gryffindor.

As he moved on with the feeling of being watched unsettling him further until he turned a corner and the voices dimmed. Draco couldn't help but wonder if the founding foursome of witches and wizards could feel just how much guilt he carried on his toned shoulders and how he doubted every decision he had made. Surely Potter would have been better to be Head Boy, everyone looked to him as a hero and a symbol of what was good in the Wizarding world Draco would never experience such a thing no matter what he did. There was a time it would have made him angry but now, well he was just content to be alive and able to decide what his future would be... it certainly wouldn't be anything in the Ministry no matter how many times he was approached as the new face of the Pure bloods alongside his best friend Blaise Zabini.

Reformed Death Eaters were apparently the latest thing the Ministry wanted to collect.

Everyone in the Wizarding world knew that the Malfoy family had defected from the Dark Lord to Dumbledore's Army as they had become known when it became clear that Voldemort's army were going to fall on the grounds of Hogwarts.

What a lot of people didn't know because Draco had asked for it to be kept quiet in fact as far as he knew it had only been those close to Potter who had known the truth. Was that Draco Malfoy had been loyal to Dumbledore and had played the same role as his Godfather, Severus Snape in being a double agent. He had hated it being known that he was supposed to kill the kind Headmaster on the top of the Astronomy Tower instead of Snape, he had endured the many looks of utter hatred from the Dumbledore faithful throughout his fifth and sixth year when he had come to the Headmaster and told him of his doubts. But the vehement hate that was in the eyes of those kept from the truth was wearing him down already. He wanted to stand on the raised platform and scream out the truth that neither Snape nor he had wanted to kill the Headmaster, that he had been forced to do unspeakable things to keep his Mother alive. It wasn't as if he had been popular in school in the first place; those people who had been seen to be his friends certainly weren't Pansy Parkinson had wanted to be the future Lady Malfoy, then there had been Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle who had been hangers on and body guards - intent on being caught in the Slytherin pride for the Malfoy name. Blaise had been his only true friend and they had ironically kept their distance in school for the most part until this final year. So many Slytherin students hadn't returned either because they were now locked away in Azkaban, lost in the battlefield or just too afraid to return to the school they had helped to destroy for all intensive purposes. Malfoy had accepted the role of being the hated student of three houses again because it was a role he knew too well and although he hated it; had the strength to wear the mask well. He was prepared to be the scapegoat for all the hatred, as long as his Godfather's legacy was restored and the truth came out that he had been loyal to Dumbledore until his last breath. That Severus Snape had done everything he did, for one thing...

Love.

The identity to who he had loved however, Draco had felt deserved to kept secret. It served no purpose to upset anyone and Snape had hated to be under the spotlight.

Sighing softly, his blonde hair falling over his eyes as he cast his gaze left and right and headed towards the Gryffindor Tower praying the Bloody Baron wouldn't have strayed too far from the Slytherin Dungeons.

She wasn't out patrolling the corridors as Draco and McGonagall had believed she would be. Which meant that Miss Hermione Granger, one third of the Golden Trio alongside the Weasel and the _'_ _Boy-Who-Wouldn't-Lie-Down-And-Die_ ' was hiding. She had returned to Hogwarts nursing several scars that at one time Madame Pomfrey could have easily removed with a simple cream, salve, or swirl of her wand alongside the formidable, dark look she cast upon any student who failed to respect the rules of the Hospital ward. There was no denying that she was as haunted as Draco but according to the two boys who had also returned to complete the Trio? Hermione Granger was ' _Perfectly fine thank you very much_.'

Two thirds of the bloody Golden Trio were clearly either blind or stupid to not see what the war had done to Hermione. Draco had only seen her once, when they had been waiting to climb into the Thestral pulled carriages, she however had not seen him which didn't surprise him. However in that brief moment of time he had had to look at Hermione Granger properly, Draco could see how detached she was from everything that was going on around her. Shaking his head, he shooed Peeves away from one of the restored hallways where he had set up indoor fireworks something that just seemed wrong to the new Head Boy. Peeves of course had thrown an almighty tantrum until the Bloody Baron was mentioned and a particularly sweet looking milk maid in a painting had offered to go find him for Malfoy. The thought of the explosives reminding him of the gossip that had been going around the seventh years of the four houses; rumour was it that when Malfoy had been ensconced in McGonagall's office; Granger had blown her cauldron up in potions and caused Professor Slughorn to send her to Madame Pomfrey. The childish side of Malfoy reared his head and a voice within him said that he hoped Granger has burnt off her and Slughorn's eyebrows at least to cause others to have a chuckle.

It couldn't be helped he told himself, he had grown up considerably from the moment the Dark Mark had been tattooed into his skin and the dark magic had begun its work below the surface but old habits died hard. It was sometimes just too easy to make fun of others misfortune especially when processing the second set of Tweedledum and Tweedledee that were in the castle. Merlin help us all if the rumours about Weasel and Potter wanting to be Aurors if they couldn't see that their best friend was struggling. Malfoy couldn't help but think that they were just too used to Granger being there with them and surviving everything that was thrown at her. Of course they were both idiots.

But what did Draco expect from either one of them.

Harry Potter and Ron Weasley had refused to see the evidence put before them; that both Draco and his beloved and fragile Mother; Narcissa, (sister to both Bellatrix Lestrange née Black and also Andromeda Tonks, the Mother of the late Nymphadora Lupin) had both wanted to be free from the stranglehold the Dark Lord had had on us both. Draco had seen the scepticism in both their eyes when they had been brought before the Ministry, yet there had been evidence to support their claims in the diaries Narcissa and Draco had kept from Lucius. How was it that he had both wanted Lucius to appreciate his Mother and him, and avoid the physical and emotional trauma he had inflicted upon us both for years. Lucius Malfoy was a product of his own Father's cruel nurturing and had in turn scared Draco into doing exactly what he wanted him to be a loyal Death Eater and cold blooded Malfoy heir.

Abuse; both physical and emotional was something Draco knew about all too well.

For example, the Dark Mark on his inner arm was now something that caused him pain in increasing amounts throughout each and every day. Naïvely he had hoped that it would fade as the months since the Dark Lord's demise went by, but he had indeed been foolish. It was still as dark and as foreboding as it had been on the day when he had stood and withheld the screams of pain he had wanted to have echo around his the store.

' _You're a man now Draco.. enjoy you're now a monster_ ' in the making hadn't exactly been what he had wanted to have happen when he had been taken to Borgin and Burkes at the beginning of his Summer holiday the year before. Clearly that was something that the two Gryffindor boys had no idea about and never would now. Yet to Draco, it was all too apparent that Hermione Granger needed someone to talk too, and didn't want to go to those two idiots.

It also appeared that being self-righteous and believing your own hype also seemed to make you ignorant and possess an inability to be forgiving to the meagre amount of Slytherin students who had returned to Hogwarts. Many of them had switched their allegiance and tried to aide those loyal to Dumbledore and faced their own family on the battlefield. It also seemed to be a perquisite that grudges were to be kept no matter how much redemption had taken place, as was being blind to what was going on around them some things wouldn't change in the school no matter how much Draco silently prayed for it.

Potter wasn't that bad in truth, not that Draco would admit that to anyone; but the Weasel was too bloody headstrong and refused to see that things weren't always the way he believed them to be. Scowling slowly, the curve of Draco's smooth lip turned upward and the normally silver-grey of his eyes took on a steel shade and anger flowed through him at the remembrance of the Weasel declaring, All Slytherin students were liars and only wanted to save their own asses they're all nothing but Death Eater scum. Of course the idiot hadn't seen the faces of the children confronting their parents and loved ones on the battlefield. Draco himself had stood side by side with the late (and in Draco's humble opinion) great Severus Snape against Lucius Malfoy in which to defeat his own Father.

He could recall the fight vividly.

Draco's wand had fallen into the muddy ground, disappearing under his foot leaving him without protection from magic but nonetheless; he hadn't held back and with Severus carefully watching over him he had approached his Father.. no, Lucius Malfoy because that man, didn't deserve the title and privilege of being a parent. Draco had ignored the taunts and threats that were thrown at him by the man who had manipulated into being a person he hated; instead, he had launched himself at the man and knocked him down repeatedly to the floor. Left and right hooks had flown with smooth precision into the older man's face and body inflicting as much pain as he could before Lucius was able to hurt him with one of the truly dark and vindictive spells he knew and had performed on the Muggles they had been made to kidnap for Voldemort's pleasure. As he thought about it, it was if he could feel the moment Lucius's wand had been raised to Draco's chest. As he remembered everything, Draco could recall the ear piercing scream Lucius had made when Severus had inflicted the Cruciatus Charm of the man several times to protect Draco from what would have been a fiercely struck Avada Kedavra. Draco owed his life to the man who had shown him more and couldn't help but wonder as the sorrow crept through him once more, how his former Head of House and Godfather would have felt if he could see him now. He had always encouraged Draco when his own family had dismissed what he did as not being enough Severus had said that he knew Draco was capable of more.. it had been uttered quietly when preparing Draco in the art of advanced Occlumency to hide the truth from any Death Eater who tried to invade his mind in the lead up to the invasion of Hogwarts.

He'd hated knowing he had to trick people and let monsters such as Fenrir Greyback into his school, people had thought Draco was a monster but he was nothing like Yaxley, Greyback or his Aunt Bella who loved pain and violence in a macabre manner. Snape had also told him that he deserved more than he believed he were capable of having and that he shouldn't settle for what he thought he should. That he was a good man trapped in a cruel situation; well maybe he should strive to prove his Godfather right.

Nodding slowly to the Prefects who were retiring to their beds after ensuring that no one was where they shouldn't be; Draco made his way towards the Gryffindor Tower where Hermione Granger had taken to hiding instead of the place they both loved; the library under the careful watch of Madam Pince. Not many people knew that Draco Malfoy had a second more secretive passion other than his love for Quidditch; Draco loved to read as much as Hermione did but had been scolded by Lucius for wasting his time with books..something he would never understand as he was also scolded for not getting higher grades than Hermione. It had upset him so much to be told by Lucius that he couldn't enter the library any more unless it was to try and 'get close to Potter, the Weasel and the ' _Mudblood_ ' as it had taken away one of the ways Draco could escape from the cold harsh reality of what Draco had faced for the last few years of attending Hogwarts. Perhaps now, with Lucius locked up in Azkaban he could at least enjoy some parts of his final year of school.

Headmistress's comments that Hermione had been taking her books out from Madam Pince rather than staying in the library had led to Draco making his way through the one area of the school no Slytherin ever wanted to willingly go when not in class. He had to get her to accept that she could be in the Tower with him, that he would indeed be a responsible Head Boy as was required by all who were chosen for the prestigious role within the school; he had to convince her that he had indeed changed and unlike the many he had heard whispering about Hermione? He wouldn't stare at her scar that had been inflicted on her inner arm by his Aunt Bellatrix.

To be branded forever as a Mudblood had to have been horrendous and Draco was hoping to confess a secret to the Gryffindor if he could get in with the password McGonagall had written down for him. How he wished he could have done more that day, how he wished he could have got his Aunt away from the girl and get her away from the inevitably painful torture she would face along with Potter and the Weasel. Denying his knowledge of their identities hadn't ever felt enough but his hands had been tied as he protected his Mother.

The Fat Lady who had been protecting the Gryffindor Common room for over three decades was a notorious stickler for rules which could go either way for Draco depending on how he phrased his request. A Slytherin wasn't permitted into the common room of another house, but he had a reason and the Headmistress herself had requested she make this late night visit telling him that Hermione would know of his midnight visit. Draco wanted to show to the girl that he was worthy of the letter he had received in August notifying that even with his previous bad behaviour and childish antics towards students such as Hermione and Longbottom in Gryffindor. He had accepted the responsibility happily and had visited her Mother to tell her the news as he had done anytime he wanted to make his Mother happy. Draco Malfoy had changed, he really had and he needed Hermione to give him a chance..and he wanted to help her heal if she would let him because the ghosts wouldn't leave her alone if she ignored them. He was going to show everyone that a Malfoy didn't hide away nor did they give up when the going got hard. He wasn't his Father's son; no, Draco Malfoy was his own man and was going to make the Malfoy name be one to respect and not fear ..somehow..

Granger was at breaking point.

Draco could sense that and so much more, and add to it all the rumours of the different less focused Granger making mistakes in class? Draco was left wondering if he could fix her well at least convince her that she had to be where she was supposed to be. The soft frown of uncertainty altered Draco's handsome face swiftly as the voice of doubt crept through his thoughts again.

Was the reason that Hermione wasn't fully embracing her responsibility as Head Girl of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry because she didn't want to be seen to be living with a known Death Eater and member of the Dark Lord's that was the case? Then McGonagall had made a really big mistake in allowing me to enter the hallowed Gryffindor common room. He wasn't like the bastard of a man he had had to call Father, nor did he have any of the insanity that been a part of the insane bitch and viperous lapdog to the Dark Lord himself; his Aunt Bellatrix. Nor did he take pleasure in destroying innocents like Greyback and Yaxley. But did Hermione truly know that? He had spoken to her briefly and seen the doubt in her eyes but that had been when they were lying side by side in the hospital ward trying to heal broken bones below their tarnished skin and then he had been taken to the Manor to heal away from prying eyes..

She had no idea what he had done for her as the battle came to its horrific end; and the early hours of the morning wasn't the time to play a game of truth or dare.

The dare being actually entering the common room.

He would tell her one day if she wanted to know and wouldn't judge him for keeping it a secret from her; he had had his reasons and had prayed no one had known. Given the fact he was still alive, no one had known the truth of what he had done in the last days of the war. As far as he knew since they had arrived at Hogwarts; Hermione Granger still hated him and wouldn't see him as anything other than the prick he had been in their third year. People changed, but pain lingers Draco.. Damn it he was talking to himself now.

Taking the steps of the tower two at a time, he hoped that the Fat Lady was aware of what McGonagall had wanted him to do she had been repaired along with the three other protectors of the Houses and had been in a horrendous mood during the restoration when there had been dust and strangers everywhere. Thank God the Ministry had realised that they truly owed the late Dumbledore otherwise the school would still be closed; rather than nearly finished thanks to the large groups of restorers and stone masons who could be found throughout the school grounds. As he refused to allow his mind to go back to the war and the weeks just after when he had had to visit the bleak Azkaban and be interviewed by Aurors about his involvement and that of his Mother's as she had become a mute in the wake of a final blow; a hex to her body by Lucius that had left her bleeding on the ruined stone floor. The darkness had crept in; and I could remember how empty the world had felt when witnessing the torture those creatures committed on the guilty. Stopping mid-step on the final turn of the stairs, he recalled how truly idiotic and insensitive Draco had been for laughing at Potter collapsing when he had been confronted by the Dementor on the Hogwarts Express. After seeing these soulless monsters guarding the Azkaban prisoners, he now fully understood just how terrifying it was to have all the joy taken from you by those wraith like creatures.

If the paintings were aware of what Draco was up to they were keeping it to themselves. So were the school ghosts thankfully, because the Bloody Baron was terrifying at the best of times, even for the students who haunted over. If the proud Slytherin ghost found out that he was standing in front of the Fat Lady of Gryffindor House? He would never be allowed to forget that he was being a traitor to the House. Hogwash as far as he was concerned but he wanted some peace even for a few days and that required no run ins with the Baron.

Facing said Fat Lady, he couldn't help but smile at the hair net to keep her hair out of her eyes and what looked like Violet asleep in the corner of the frame. The Fat Lady looked truly curious as to his presence near her beloved common room until Draco flashed her a bright smile and lifted out the scrap of parchment that had the Headmistress's signature on it along with the password itself. She wanted us to work together, to help remind the Hogwarts students that McGonagall wanted there to be more inter-house interaction of a none-violent nature. She was hoping the old ways of Pure blood versus Half blood or ' _Mudblood_ ' would come to an end during her tenure-ship as Headmistress of the Britain's Magical school. The problem was, she was throwing a snake head-first into the one place where students held grudges longer than anyone. Then add the natural instinct of most Slytherin students to be naturally sceptical of others; and yet there he stood wondering just how this would all play out.

 _"You're Draco Malfoy!_

 _I heard you were back and I'm glad to see you're going to see Miss Granger, she's always crying and those boys are too silly not to see how sad she is. Minevra bless her said you would be coming but I wish she had told me it would be so late a handsome boy like you should see my dress not this."_

Was he being flirted with by another painting? Draco really hoped not after dealing with an especially brazen ballerina who had tried to get him to strip off so she could see if he had the body of a dancer. Draco had kept that little nugget of blackmail material to himself and saved himself years of being teased by his fellow Slytherin students.

 _"Yes, I'm him and you look beautiful now if you would be so kind..the password is 'Caput Draconis' and I believe Miss Granger is waiting for me. I do appreciate you allowing me to enter here and will behave."_

The Fat Lady giggled at his polite manners and the frame moved to allow Draco to climb in. Stepping into the common room itself, Draco felt his breath catch in his throat as the orange fur-ball, Crookshanks ran towards him purring like the kitten he had had when a boy. Recently, the part-cat/part-Kneazle had been spending time around the Slytherin area of the school when Hermione had been patrolling and I'd secretly enjoyed secret strokes of the massive fur-ball. Knowing the Weasel hated him and the feeling was mutual from Crookshanks was an added bonus but the simple pleasure of fussing the fur-ball was the one thing Draco really enjoyed.

Something else Lucius or Aunt Bellatrix would have destroyed for him if it meant he would behave for them.. Happiness wasn't allowed power and success whilst serving the Dark Lord was the be all and end all of the lives and family, happiness etcetera was secondary or even lower than that on the scale of the life goals they had. Often, I wondered why Lucius hadn't married Aunt Bella rather than my Mother certainly they were more likely to have shared interests. Swallowing back the fear that always surfaced at the thought of Bellatrix Lestrange coming back from the dead and torturing the girl who was curled up on a couch with 'Hogwarts: A History' lying open on her lap, he became aware of the pain emanating from his palms. He was pushing his nails into his palms again, no doubt leaving the small crescents across the flesh from the need he had to crush emotional pain with physical. Willing a sense of calm and the façade of nonchalance to descend upon his person once more before he moved to where Hermione was. Draco had to regain control, he hated feeling this vulnerable and weak at the best of times, but before Granger seemed deplorable for the former Slytherin Prince to do.

 _"Granger."_

 _"Malfoy, the Headmistress said you would be coming here, but I was tired I also didn't want anyone to suspect anything so went to bed. I'm very sorry she's done this, I thought you would find it easier if I stayed here rather than come live in the Head student's accommodation."_

Taking in her appearance, Draco could have laughed at the messy way her curls had fallen around her face, that was until he looked at the bags under her eyes that were void of the tenacious fire Draco couldn't help but miss. His observations made him wonder just what else had happened to Hermione Granger in the wake of the battle and the return to well, civilian life for the students turned soldiers of fortune and sorrow. Why had the infamously controlled and restrained Hermione Granger even agreed to this meeting, she was the one person Draco knew would do as she was told but would have avoided him at all costs. Nothing made sense. He stood before the warming fire looking down on Hermione and couldn't help but smile at her appearance it was a pleasant change to see her comfortable and unafraid to just; well be herself.

Donned in patchwork pyjama pants and a worn shirt adorned with a mouse wearing a bow with her hair falling loose over her shoulders, she was the epitome of warmth just like the Gryffindor common room itself. The rich gold and red colouring and rich wood making everything feel cosy in comparison to the stark grey and stone common room the Slytherin students had, even the expensive leather couches that Draco had once thought to be comfortable suddenly seemed hard after witnessing the cosy chairs and love seats that were used often by the Gryffindor students. Here, Draco thought, was somewhere he would enjoy being when he read a new book from the vast library either here or from the Manor.

 _"The truth is Draco, I also need you.. I mean, I know with you I can tell you secrets that would destroy Harry and Ron, but I didn't want to make you uncomfortable by moving in there."_

Arching a brow, Draco turned from the fire and looked once more at the girl and watched as she stood up, now only a foot below him in stature. Was she under some kind of charm to speaking like this because it was certainly not like Hermione Granger to admit that she needed help from anyone; certainly not a Slytherin..especially a Malfoy yet, here they were together.

Except of course, everything Draco had ever known was different now and for the most part he liked the change. It had given him a new beginning to his life when he had thought he would die at the hands of the Dark Lord or Lucius.

Returning to the here and now within the Gryffindor dorm, Draco's eyes never left Hermione and her bizarre bow wearing mouse as she moved closer to him. He was acting very uncharacteristically for the former Slytherin Prince and heir apparent to the title of Lord Malfoy which he would claim on the morning of his twenty-first birthday. Cool grey eyes swept over her petite body noticing that she really wasn't looking after herself in the wake of the battle. Her perfect hour-glass figure was thinner than he recalled it being at the beginning of the year, were her parents aware than she wasn't looking after herself? Draco recalled vaguely hearing Hermione speak about them when there had been a meeting for the various Phoenix members and DA students at 12 Grimmauld Place, the home that now belonged to Potter and contained records of his Mother's Family; the Blacks. Struggling to recall what it was, his brows furrowed and a pensive look took over his face he would remember and then it would be one more thing he knew about Miss Hermione Granger.

Ah that was it!

She had performed the Obliviate spell on them and made them travel across the globe to escape the Dark Lord, Draco had no idea if her Muggle parents were returned from wherever they had gone.. he couldn't help but hope that they had for her sake. A child needed their parents, no matter how awful they were which was why Draco was determined to have Narcissa Malfoy return to him. She had loved him unconditionally, and she had understood that he didn't want to be what he was made to become. As for Hermione?

Circe! She was truly incredible and selfless when it came to protecting those she loved but once more, Draco wondered? What was the cost to her own sanity and peace of mind only Hermione truly knew that.

Malfoy didn't know exactly how it happened but one minute Hermione Granger was standing before him, her sleepy eyes resting on him and the next he had a strong arm slung around her waist pulling her to him. The girl needed to be held, to feel the warmth of another body and if possible be able to be helped to feel safe. Of course, Draco may not have been the right person to do either of those things for Hermione but he couldn't stand seeing her so broken before him. McGonagall had indeed done a good thing and even if Hermione hexed him where he stood, he was going to owl the Headmistress first thing to say that he was willing and able to do all it could to restore life to the shell that was Hermione. Tracing a finger across her jawline carefully to allow Draco the utter selfish gift of her wide eyes looking at him. He was selfish by nature, and whether you blamed it on his parentage, on the fact he was an only child or something else? Draco took a second selfish moment for himself to bring her closer, noticing silently that she didn't seem to want to move away from him. She didn't argue with him, or try to push him away and as Draco head settled upon her messy curls, he let his eyes close over and a quiet contentment seep through his whole body. He couldn't believe that Hermione Jean Granger's supple body was pressed against his toned physique in a way the boy he had been a year or so ago would have thought to be disgusting. Now, it was just welcoming to feel warm and to be able to be strong for someone who hadn't even know that they could come to him..

 _"You never replied to my last letter, I sent you an owl thanking you for the chocolate. You didn't need to 'mione.. especially as we're both going to be doing this job together. Did you go to your museum that day in London, I had wanted to find a place to meet you for lunch._

 _I hadn't seen you since..since the afternoon when they were.. when we were in the Hall."_

Fighting back the memory of that afternoon, he fought back the nausea.

In his arms, Draco swore he felt her shift and he was right.

Slender arms were tightening their hold and there was a muffled sneeze. Damn it, of course she was cold after waiting up for him; no matter how hot the fire was these dorms never stayed as warm as they should. Hermione Granger had been his secret pen-pal throughout the Summer, sending him letters all about Muggle trips and places that Draco was now genuinely intrigued about. It was to her that he had confessed his fear that Narcissa wouldn't be strong enough for Azkaban; and it had been to her that he had written saying he was testifying against captured Death Eaters in an attempt to ensure they wouldn't be freed from the prison anytime soon. It was to him that Hermione had confessed that she had thought she was going to die when lying on his dining room table in the West wing of the vast Malfoy Manor. It was him that she had forgiven and understood how helpless he had felt when the Golden Trio had been captured by the Death Eaters...

Draco Malfoy had a new friend that no one could know about in case it caused riots in the slowly calming school and she was Hermione Granger, one of the 'Gryffindorks' he had made fun of for enjoying the one thing he too loved..

 _"I meant too.. but the Weasley family had come stay at the Burrow till Mum and Dad.. till I can find a way to bring them back. I couldn't find a way to keep the house and it's for sale Draco..my home is for sale and I'm lost.."_

Yes.. McGonagall was as sneaky as a Slytherin, she had known that Draco would help Hermione open up.

The two young people were so alike and had been for a long time, just neither of them would see it, or if they did? They certainly wouldn't let anyone know it. All Draco knew was that the girl needed someone to hold her and listen as she finally lowered the walls from around her fragile form. Hermione needed to have someone be there as she told them why the shadows under her eyes hadn't faded despite being safe. Then again, safe had always been a relative term when living in fear of the Dark Lord. He had been a creature of habit, embracing any and everything that would offer him power and success over those of 'lower birth' and heritage. Ironic as he was a half-blood but there we go; he was dead. The expectations placed on her as one third of the Golden Trio; and on Draco for that matter, were hard to handle never mind adding to it the day to day stress of being in our final year of school.

It may have been done for different reasons but the weight put on our shoulders in different ways but they concluded in the same way.

That all four of them could move on from being the survivors of the war that had changed the Wizarding world forever. For Hermione and her friends, it was to prove that they were united and could return to normality as being the ones to admire and look up to in not only the Gryffindor house but throughout the school. The Slytherin students for the most part had placed their hatred for the Gryffindor students on the back burner but there were still some who couldn't shake off the lessons they had been taught since birth. Draco thought (albeit solely to himself) that this hatred and distrust should have disappeared in the ash of the school. His eyes had been opened fully to the reality that pure blood or half-blood? Or even of Muggle birth completely like the girl in his arms, it was the magic that was important and not the purity of the blood line. Draco also had to admit that he still really hated the Weasel and nothing was going to sway him otherwise. Ron Weasley was hot head who didn't seem to realise that suffering had happened to families on both sides of the war. There was mourning taking place that was not solely occurring within those who had been loyal to Harry Potter and the legacy left by Albus Dumbledore.

Hermione Granger was different to both Potter and the Weasel. Firstly, she had been the living embodiment of what the Dark Lord and his followers believed to be wrong in the Wizarding world. Then there was the fact Hermione had given up so much for so many and had been left broken and alone by those who had sworn to protect her. That had been something that Draco could relate too; even if he didn't want anyone to know just how much having his family torn apart had hurt him. All because of Lucius's unwavering beliefs in the Dark Lord and messed up view of what it was to be a Pure blooded witch or wizard. The views of both of them were outdated and Draco was only relieved he had seen the light before it truly was too late to gain forgiveness from Dumbledore before his death.

Your belongings are in the lounge we're going to share.. I stopped the House Elves from unpacking it but you are going to come stay there for the year, McGonagall thinks it will do us both some good to be away from our peers at least some of the week. That was the reasoning McGonagall had insisted he go with Hermione was a sucker for making the witch happy, Draco had seen that when in transfiguration with her the year before. Keeping her close to his body with a carefully placed arm around her waist; he guided Hermione towards the love seat by the burning fire and settled them both into it. The young witch was settled upon his lap and a low murmur of ' _Accio blanket_ ' had a rich red blanket come from a neat pile to settle over them both. Gazing into the flames, Draco couldn't help but hope that Hermione would aide him in making their own private lounge as welcoming as the common room of his natural inter-house enemies was. Lifting her head to give her a small smile, Draco felt himself unable to confess his concerns.

 _"You've been avoiding me Hermione Granger, despite the promise to not be a typical Gryffindork to me. I felt like a right bastard when McGonagall came to the tower to ask me if I had done something to stop you moving in, I told her the truth that no, I hadn't seen you since the first day but come of 'mione? I've let you in and you do that to me you wound me Granger. We've got this year to go, then you can do whatever you want like go to a Muggle college or something but let's make this work. I want to show everyone that I've changed and the first step is a harmonious set up with the Head Girl who can break my nose with a single punch."_

Offering her a smile, Draco yawned and shifted my weight to allow the warmth of the fire to relax him as her fingers tightened on his old Quidditch world cup shirt, the thing was worn out and the Bulgarian team's name had faded to a pale grey but the thing was comfortable and had served Draco well when creeping around the castle. He had to move before sleep crept over him and he was found cuddling Hermione by Potter and the Weasel one day without a headache due to the idiot's screaming would be great he thought as eyes fluttered shut.

 _"Draco.. I..I'll come."_

One eye opened and a smile grew when Draco heard Hermione sleepily consent to coming with him. As he swept the girl up in his arms, ensuring the blanket was wrapped around her, he noticed just how late it was and that he had to move fast and silently so that his appearance in the Gryffindor Common room was discovered by anyone other than the woman who had encouraged him. Of course he had to find a way to silence the Fat Lady but he had a plan for that; there were new portraits over by the Ravenclaw common room that had been brought from the locked up collection that had belonged to Albus Dumbledore and bequeathed to the school upon his death. Draco had a feeling the new arrivals would enjoy meeting someone as fun as the Fat Lady and a favour for her would keep her silence for them.

Rumours in this school of people breaking rules were always something that caused trouble for students and teachers alike which was why Draco ran as fast as he could along the corridor of sleeping paintings with Hermione Granger in his arms wanting to get to the painting of Romilda Morduant and get the exhausted witch into her bed.

Tomorrow was Saturday and Draco was prepared to hex her if he had too to make her sleep in past breakfast; he would ensure Headmistress McGonagall didn't penalise Gryffindor for Hermione needing to lie in. Not that he should care.. points off Gryffindor helped Slytherin but somehow it didn't seem to matter to him as much as ensuring Hermione didn't sleep walk to the blasted Astronomy Tower or something equally dangerous. But that was tomorrow, and hopefully his co-Head would just sleep and then they could plan how to get through the next year because Merlin help him - Draco enjoyed the intelligent conversations he had had via Owl over the Summer with Hermione, and had secretly admired her tenacity when it came to learning.

Hermione Granger was witty, clever and beautiful amongst many other things; but she was also so pure of heart and he couldn't help but hope she would heal some of the darkness the Dark Lord's mark had inflicted on his soul.


	2. Searching for Acceptance

I don't own Harry Potter©. Harry Potter© is the property of J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers, and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only and to sate my love of the characters.

* * *

 **Searching for Acceptance.**

The morning sunshine filtered through the ornate window warming Hermione's face as she stretched and yawned.

Where the Hell was she? There was only one bed in the beautiful bedroom that seemed to be decorated with a wide collection of her belongings both from the Wizarding and Muggle worlds. Belongings Hermione had known to be still safely packed in the trunk she simply hadn't had time to unpack. Things such as her collection of Bront sister novels that she had read so much, the pages has become worn out on their edges, or the photographs she had taken at the Quidditch World Cup three years ago. Unable to stop the overwhelming sense of melancholy that crept over me as she thought back to that incredible time spent with the Harry, Ron, the Weasley twins and Cedric Diggory.

Ah, here was the tears that would spill as Hermione thought of Cedric and Fred. The furrow at her brow deepens as she lets the sorrow and grief wash over her when memories of the two boys come back in flashes of happier times and then the memory of seeing them both lying so very still on the ground. Pulling her legs up into her arms, she rocks back and forth in the comfortable bed letting the pain hit her over and over again; they would be twenty now, making their own marks in the Wizarding world away from Hogwarts; neither should have died so young. Nor should so many on the battlefield that had been the school grounds because of Voldemort and his fanatical Death Eaters and loyal followers. It had been months since she had cried like that, as much as she hated it she knew she had no choice but to let out the pain so she could focus on the day ahead.

So much death, so many gone and somehow? She had been seen as a hero; no, that had been those who gave up their lives to do the right thing. Or poor Cedric whose death had been the one to truly begin to make people see that Dumbledore's warnings when trying to shield the boy's body from spectators at the World Cup. Warnings that had indeed been justified and more importantly true. She couldn't help but wonder what it would have been like if Cedric hadn't held onto the damn port-key with Harry and ended up in that awful graveyard. Would he still be alive would Harry?

Frozen beneath the covers, Hermione found herself wondering if someone was going to help the person who was screaming? Whoever they are they sound truly terrified.

In his own room, Draco was trying to remember where he had put his Quidditch jersey he knew that the night before it had been thrown across the desk chair across from his bed. Merlin! He was late for training as it is! The terrifying scream from the room above him had him discard his new Nimbus 2009 broomstick and retrieve his wand from below his pillow. Granger was in trouble, that was the only explanation for the screams that had startled him. Though how anyone had got past that damn painting and the charmed suit of armour that also watched over them was beyond Draco. Not that it mattered now.

Only protecting the Head Girl from harm mattered to him now.

Running up the stairs he called out the Bombarda incantation or at least a bastardised version of it that caused the door to blow off its hinges and lie in smithereens across the carpet. Ready to perform anything from the full body bind upwards to the Unforgivable Curses in an attempt to protect Granger from whomever the intruder was, Draco stopped in the doorway and caught his breath. Except Hermione's room only had one intruder in it himself.

Casting leaden coloured eyes around the room, wand raised constantly if confronted with the unknown assailant, Draco wondered for a moment if there was someone here wearing an invisibility cloak like Potters, it would be a simple explanation as to why he couldn't see anyone and why Granger looked so frightened. Quietly noting to himself that he felt relieved that she had finally stopped screaming at least, he allowed himself a moment to truly look at the Head Girl, it was quite peculiar in truth Granger seemed to not have a clue as to where she was or indeed who he was. He had at least expected her to scream at him for damaging the door and repeated expletives intermingled with calling him a ferret a nickname he still despised Mad Eye and the damn Weasel to cause him to be called. After establishing that there was indeed no one but himself and Granger in her room, Draco dropped his wand to her bed, moving slowly he crept closer towards Hermione, aware that she could easily perform several painful spells on him in seconds especially as she still didn't seem to realise that he was here, or indeed, who he was. Then the deafening screams started again, making him fall back and flinch as the sound made his ears feel as if they were bleeding.

 _"Granger? Come on Granger you need to stop this bloody screaming before the paintings have half the Professors traipsing up here. You know they're just waiting for me to slip up once and I'm off to the train and on my way home.."_

Catching hold of her small hands within his, he guided them away from her face. She looked so frail, so painfully broken was his initial thought. From the tear-framed brown eyes, to the scars that she had refused magical healing, to the quiver of her lips as the screams slowly became whimpers that made it even worse for him to witness.

Draco Malfoy truly saw just how fragile the normally strong Hermione Granger was. Brushing the damp curls from her heated skin, he wondered just where her mind had taken her somewhere dark and clearly given the harrowing screams and vacant look in her eyes. For the first time since he'd had to face the fact his Mother had been damaged by the abuse Lucius and the Dark Lord inflicted on her.

Time at 12 Grimmauld Place during the War when Severus Snape had come to inform the Order of what he knew, Draco had been left to his own devices. Which had normally led to him watching the dynamic that was the Golden Trio. Namely the one who according to everything Lucius Malfoy had taught his son, was akin to wild, mindless beasts. Draco had had doubts for sometime about the teachings of his Father, (the word inducing nausea throughout him) for sometime, but as he watched the aftermath of Hermione's decision to perform the memory charm; Obliviate on her Muggle parents.

Even now, as he sat on her bed, praying she come back from where her mind had dragged her. Draco could still remember how utterly lost and young she had looked. It had been then, as he had watched the 'Greatest Witch of their generation' fall apart and just be a girl who desperately alone. A loneliness that Draco could understand even in part, that he had realised all blood was the same really, both the Pure- blooded, and the Muggle born were truly alone when everyone left them.

They were still alone. Draco's parents were locked up; Granger's were out there unaware of the incredible daughter they had forgotten. His fingers moved carefully through her curls, his eyes never faltering in their steady gaze. He hated to admit it, but he really had no idea how to help Granger..no, Hermione her name was Hermione. Torn between lifting the stricken girl into his arms and finding Madam Pomfrey, Draco felt afraid.

 _"Come on Granger, come back to me._

 _Salazar! I need you to come back to me and then curse my ass for even coming into your room_."

Knowing that he was without the option of a Patronus, (something he hated not being able to conjure) Draco felt completely frustrated. Whispering to Hermione to come back to him was one of the strangest things he had done but the sentiment was true, he needed her to snap out of wherever she had gone. He saw something in her vacant eyes that seemed familiar; something that the little boy within Draco Malfoy had hoped to never bear witness to again for the rest of his life.

The dark void in Hermione's eyes was something he had seen in her Mother's after Lucius had told her Draco would indeed be like them and become a Death Eater as soon as it was possible for him to. Running his hand through his damp hair; Draco took a ragged breath as he found himself weighing up the pros and cons of his decision; he felt alone if he were able to admit it. Afraid of what had happened to Hermione in the moments before he had burst in. Draco's biggest concern he concluded was that clarity could return to the outstandingly intellectual witch at the most inopportune moment i.e. When he lifted her into his arms.

If someone had told Draco a year ago that not only would he; the poster boy for pure blood heritage would be Head Boy of Hogwarts? He would have laughed. Further still, if his younger self had been told not only would he be living with Hermione Granger, but also care about her? He would have said he needed a stint in St. Mungo's private wands for the mentally disturbed.

Yet, here Draco was; carefully lifting the fragile girl up into his arms, Hermione's natural fragrance surrounding him in a warm and comforting manner that surprised him. He attempted not to notice how soft her skin was beneath his touch. He refused to notice the way she seemed to fit perfectly against him as Draco moved them both to rest against the ornate headboard, the soft (emerald green and silver Draco couldn't help but notice) blanket that had been strewn across Hermione's long legs now lay over them both.

Draco Malfoy certainly hadn't noticed that Hermione Granger, the belle of the Golden Trio had changed somewhat and was now quite possibly the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. No, he told himself he had definitely not noticed that at all. Though he would be asking the fiercely loyal member of the Gryffindor house just why she had a Slytherin blanket adorning her bed. There was an interesting story there just waiting to be discovered. However, none of that would matter if Draco couldn't get her to come back to him..no just back to the home and now not him. Definitely not to him because she was Hermione Granger and even if the war had brought about an end to the old ways? He was a Slytherin and a Slytherin could not be friends with a Gryffindor...

Just look at Lily Potter née Evans and his Godfather, Severus Snape.

Though of course, that had been a case of unrequited love, and Draco Malfoy simply didn't believe in love. Love according to Lucius, was something that made you weak and compromised what you regarded as important.

 _"Malfoy?"_

Hearing Granger's confused tone as she queried her presence no doubt, in her room. Maintaining his usual calm demeanour, Draco adjusted his hold on the witch offering her a pensive smile. He wanted to offer her some reassurance, and perhaps even make her smile because Merlin help them both; Hermione needed to smile more. Opting to tease Miss Hermione Jean Granger, just a little in the hope of causing such a reaction.

 _"Oh! How do I put this Granger? Let's see, I was getting ready for Quidditch, practise when you started screaming for me and when a woman's that loud? Well a man knows better than to argue. I came running and found myself pinned under your half-dressed self._

 _I never knew how you had it in you Granger, but I'm glad to see you're over your crush on the Weasel!"_

Any second now, Draco was going to find himself either being sent across the room when she cursed him, or she would slap his arrogant smirk right off his face. Unable to resist looking at the young witch, his amused smile never faltering as he awaited the full force of Hermione Granger's wrath.

 _"You're not wearing a shirt Malfoy!"_

Hermione Jean Granger had, in her short life experienced far too much including of course; surviving the War. Yet, finding herself in pyjamas with a partially dressed Draco Malfoy? Well, that was certainly a new and unexpected thing for her to experience. For all the teasing from the boy (or rather man now) whose arm was still around her waist? Hermione could tell that Draco acting calm when he wasn't - not that she would push it because he when pushed, was a truly awful person to be around. There was something he was keeping from her, and if she did risk poking him; would insist he was trying to protect her. Secretly, she was relieved that he was keeping it from her, but she was also concerned. What had led to Draco being here in her bed? Unlike Harry or Ron, Hermione had watched Draco closely over the last two years in particular; seeing the boy she had hated become someone facing Demons alone. She had seen the formerly arrogant, self-righteous and highly opinionated Draco Malfoy do something Hermione would never have expected to happen; she watched him falter and become vulnerable even if he managed to hide it reasonably well from people like Pansy or Crabbe and Goyle.

As the weeks became months and then a couple of years, went by, Hermione had seen the cracks in his perfect mask of arrogant indifference grow. As Hermione internally processed what Draco was saying versus the look in his arrogant eyes.

Moving carefully in Draco's embrace, Hermione wondered just what had led to her bedroom door lying in smithereens. Trying to recall what had happened prior to finding Draco with her, Hermione had flashes of the battlefield, of the vast Hogwarts Great Hall lined with the bodies of friends and loved ones that she missed every day. Tracing her fingers through her hair, Hermione couldn't shake the chill that ran throughout her body. Would he taunt her if she just gave into the memories before the one boy who despite his cruel barbs; hadn't made Hermione cry. No, she recalled... that had been Ron, and he had done it several times in their years at school.

 _"You..you really need to put a shirt of Malfoy, because if someone was to come in here? I think we would be expelled and I really just want to get through this year and be able to get good OWLs and NEWTs. Please Malfoy, its not like you want anyone knowing you were in bed with me?"_

Stuttering her words, Hermione realised she had a really simple question that she figured Draco could answer. Without thinking, her petite hand slid into the cool, pale one of the Slytherin to stop him moving. Despite her request only minutes before hand, she didn't want to be alone with the nightmares but came to her every night. She had no recollection of coming to this room, the last thing Hermione remembered was reading in the Gryffindor common room. Then there was a flash of light as Hermione remembered someone talking to her there Draco Malfoy had been in the Gryffindor common room with her; although just how he had got past the Fat Lady was beyond Hermione's thought process about now.

 _"This..this is the tower given to the Head Boy and Girl isn't it? I told the Headmistress that I didn't want to do the role! I returned my badge to her as soon as it arrived. This isn't fair."_

Draco could remember the day Hermione had received her letter notifying her that she had been made Head Girl. Of course, Draco had been notified of his own position of Head Boy. Whilst Draco had graciously accepted it and ensured the green badge was fastened to his new robes, Hermione's response to it all had been to write to Draco asking for his advice on how not to upset McGonagall by declining the position.

The two of them had conversed throughout that day.

The letters that were sent via Draco's Eagle Owl, Saxton, had gradually changed from talking about Hermione's fears to humour as the game of twenty questions Hermione had suggested they continue had them both opening up to one another. It had worked well enough to distract her from the original letter asking for help from Draco to be removed as Head Girl, something that Draco had metaphorically patted himself on the back about. Draco had even confessed he wanted to show the delightful Miss Granger around his home post Dark Lord and Death Eater invasion. Perhaps it could be something he would bring up once he had convinced her this tower was where they both belonged. Here, in the sanctuary of the tower; Draco believed that those whose loyalties to the Dark Lord's memory was unbreakable. Deciding to take her back to that night when they had argued over whether she would be a good Head Girl at the school whose students were still in the early stages of mourning.

 _"Have you ever thought that, as I seem to recall telling you weeks ago? That you were always going to be given the role as Head Girl after being a brilliant prefect for Gryffindor trust me I heard enough from the students you berated and I thoroughly enjoyed witnessing your hard work when the Weasel neglected his duties after every Quidditch match. You were chosen along with me, because you showed great aptitude when it came to your work, you're kind hearted and you are also insightful when it comes to seeing the right and wrong in a situation, excellent in all classes.."_

 _"..except Divination with Trelawney though I did like the lessons we all had with Firenze.."_

Smirking as he winked at the witch in his arms, Draco knew from the way Hermione had dragged her lip over her teeth that he had her curiosity piqued. Congratulating himself on his cunning way of guiding Hermione to exactly where he train of thought was at, he shifted to have her lie at his side, Draco's arm still firmly resting around her waist and hand on her thigh.

 _"Anyway, what I was going to say before I was rudely interrupted was this._

 _McGonagall chose you because you're a good student and someone to aspire to be like if you like goody-good Gryffindors. She didn't chose you Hermione, because you repeatedly helped to prevent the Dark Lord succeeding in his schemes against Potter and Dumbledore, and she didn't do it therefore because you're the pretty one in the legendary ,books are going to be written about; Golden Trio._

 _The Ministry essentially kissing the three of your asses to offer you any position you wanted despite not finished your academia? Well, that is because of several reasons all linking to who you are. They want to distance themselves from Cornelius Fudge and his cronies who were too lost in their own denial to believe Dumbledore and the evidence laid out before them in the form of Diggory's body. The fact that they have given both Potter and the Weasel the chance to become Aurors before finishing school also shows that they are only interested in having all three of you work there and therefore clear them of ever being against the Order and the sacred Boy-Who-Lived._

 _Anyway, what I mean is this McGonagall wants to help this school and by having you and I as Head Boy and Girl is helping to do that, she loves you Hermione and she has begrudgingly seen I'm not the monster she thought I was to be. So do this for me if not for anyone else because if you step down she will go back to her own views on me and make my already hard life here this year; impossible._

 _Besides.."_

Draco avoided those dark eyes of hers as his confident and jovial demeanour faltered and his true fears resurfaced albeit for a moment before retreating as fast as they had come.

 _"Besides, I like the idea of having a friend near who doesn't just want to see if the Malfoy name is one to fear any more like Pansy.. She's my oldest friend but I know she only stayed close because it made her look good to be with me.. I don't want that any more Hermione."_

Now..

He coughed and gave her a brilliant smile that was actually mirrored in his eyes as his hand squeezed her thigh gently.

 _"Now just get used to being Head Girl the one who is to be admired and adored for being the model student of Hogwarts."_

The gentle nod of Hermione's head ensured that Draco got to gloat for a good couple of hours before reality kicked him in the nuts. The blonde wasn't a pessimist by any means, no; Draco Malfoy was a realist which meant that he never got to have a completely good day every time he had tried in the past, something had royally fucked it all up for him.

Extracting himself from the warmth that was Hermione's bed and away from her warm soft body, he found himself walking to the small kitchen they shared; needing to distract himself from the strange feelings he had felt when being so close to her. Slowly, the feeling of wanting to be near her changed; and instead the cold nauseous sensation washed over him as Draco thought about how empty Hermione's eyes had looked when he had knelt at her bedside. How when he looked at her, Draco had felt like he was looking into the eyes of a stranger.

Retrieving the small metal coffee pot that would create a couple of decent cups, Draco set about grinding the fresh coffee beans and with a wave of his wand murmured 'incendio' to the stove the water in the pot began boiling. Soon enough the heavenly scent of coffee would fill the small space restoring some form of equilibrium to his disrupted world. Making coffee was in truth, the only thing Draco had ever really known he could do in a domestic sense; being the sole heir to the Malfoy title and estate had led to a life of never wanting or needing for anything. Draco had spent his entire life until now being waited on hand and feet by the Malfoy house elves had meant that Draco was unsure as to how he could make both himself and Granger a half-decent brunch but he could at least ensure she got a decent coffee in her when she came down to him. Then maybe he could ask her if she remembered just what had happened to make her scream out like she had done.

Maybe.

Draco knew her though; he could ask Granger to confess what had happened a thousand times, and she would say she was just fine. Draco also knew that the word _"fine"_ meant _"I'm far from fine but I really don't know what to do or what to say."_ A statement that practically was a tag line for the Head Boy and Girl. Draco just planned on making sure that Hermione Granger never found out the secrets he learnt to keep well from others.

No one needed to know the truth about how Lucius Malfoy had regularly beaten his own son.

Certainly someone like Hermione Granger with her na ve belief that even the darkest of souls could find redemption, Draco had experienced her trying to save him a couple of times before the war had broken out and in truth; the look in her eyes as she had pleaded with him had confirmed to him that he would be loyal to Dumbledore and the good there was in the Wizarding world. Yes, it had been Hermione Granger who had been the final thing to confirm just how disillusioned he was in the beliefs of the Dark Lord. Redemption came at a price however, and it was the nightmares that had him waking in a cold sweat screaming out for mercy every day since he had witnessed Bellatrix perform the Cruciatus Curse on Hermione. He had perfected the Silencio charm to stop others finding out and occasionally, Draco managed a night or two where he dreamt for a few hours without his fears surfacing in the form of horrific nightmares.

Settling himself on one of the couches by the blazing fire place, Draco pulled out his worn copy of The Art of Potion Mastery by Ignatius Zegwater. Granger had her copy of Hogwarts: A History that gave her comfort when her world was crumbling for Draco it was this book; a gift from Severus that grounded him when his thoughts were haywire. Since leaving Hermione to do whatever the young witch did to prepare for the day; Draco had endured a Howler of all things from someone he truly hated. The idiot Harper who had substituted for him the year before in the Slytherin Quidditch team as Seeker had believed he had believed he had the right to berate Draco Malfoy for being unable to attend the training... Yes, he had forgotten about it the very second Draco heard Hermione's screams. However; he was Head Boy and had been Slytherin Prefect which meant that Harper should have shown him some respect for that, and he certainly should have done because he was Draco fucking Malfoy and he wasn't above kicking someone's arse for disrespecting him. The fifty points he had stripped from his own house was a just punishment bot had left Draco in a foul mood.

As always, Draco couldn't just have one good day without trouble rearing its ugly head.

Sipping his coffee, Draco tried to focus on how to create the perfect aura for his Potion Making Room, he had no idea why auras bared relevance on such things but Ignatius was a master when it came to potion creations and Draco had admired the man for near on a decade. If Ignatius Zegwater said it was important that so be it, he would ensure his new room at the Manor was perfect for him to work in. Draco became aware that the anger he'd been feeling towards Harper be re-directed towards Hermione bloody Granger who was still upstairs in her room.

It was her fault that Draco had forgotten about the damn training despite being partially dressed for it.

It was also Hermione's fault that his house had lost those fifty valuable House points.

This year, Draco had decided when sitting in his carriage, was the year that Slytherin would take back the House Cup from Gryffindor. There would be no trolls or three-eyed dogs for the damn Golden Trio to destroy and protect the school from. The irony that the Dark Lord's loyal followers such as Quirrell had actually helped Gryffindor hadn't been lost on Draco but this year, things would be different and he would leave Hogwarts being proud to be a Slytherin rather than afraid of the wrath he would experience when confessing the truths of the academic year to his parents.

Yes, 2008 was going to be a far better year for Draco Malfoy it had to be.

 _"If Granger doesn't ruin it all for me."_

Despite his anger and frustration at the morning's events, the truth couldn't be denied. Even as he blamed Hermione Granger, he knew it truth that it was his fault, and his alone that he hadn't made it to the Quidditch pitch. Draco loved the game, it had been his sole distraction through the horrors of his life and had always hoped to play for the Wimborne Warriors and even represent England in the Quidditch World Cup like his heroine Blythe Parkin. Smiling to himself as Draco recalled watching her stand on her broomstick as she celebrated winning the Snitch in a friendly against the Republic of Ireland.

Lucius had ensured his son met his heroine that day. Even now, Draco still had the photograph Lucius had taken of Blythe and Draco standing on her broomstick with the snitch flying just above their outstretched hands as if they were catching the small golden ball. That day, although only being four years ago; seemed a lifetime ago. Yet now, Draco's passion for Quidditch was nearly gone no one would want a Death Eater on their team, it was the main reason he had left the school team the year before. He had initially resigned from his position as Seeker of the Slytherin team because he had been called back to Malfoy Manor to serve the Dark Lord. Yet, when the opportunity to return had been offered to Draco, he had declined stating he didn't want it. All lies of course, but no one could know that Draco was too ashamed of his past and his involvement, albeit something he hated, with the horrendous Death Eaters.

Draco hated it hated how terribly alone to felt at the school. He hated how he had lost the one thing that had made him happy. Malfoy men always cutting off their noses to spite their faces.

 _"Ruin what Malfoy?"_

He hadn't heard her descend the stairs, which only further aggravated him. Draco had been so lost in thought about what could have been that he had left himself open to attack, well theoretically at least. Draco was pretty sure that Hermione wasn't going to kill him for lying out on the couch in just his Quidditch pants, having decided today was a day to forego dressing completely as they had no need to venture into the Great Hall and face anyone. Patrolling the corridors wouldn't start till around nine or ten in the evening depending on when McGonagall let them know they were needed. Merlin, he hoped the prefects were doing it so he could just wallow in the comfort of the tower.

 _"Nothing Hermione, nothing at all. Are you alright now? There's fresh coffee on the stove, I'll take a second cup when you go through and I'm hungry make me some lunch will you to thank me.."_

Dangerous ground Malfoy, dangerous ground asking her to do something like that for him Expecting Hermione to verbally assault him, Draco carefully placed the book between himself and the witch with a short fuse. He hadn't actually been serious when he said it he was happy enough to see if he could get one of the many House Elves to help him stop starving away the till he eventually came down for the evening meal; Draco's one concession to his ' do not mingle with others' policy. If memory served Winky, the former Crouch elf,still worked here; perhaps he could go down to the kitchens and ask her to bring both Hermione and himself a large plate each of cooked breakfast and fresh toast?

Watching her carefully from behind his book, Draco expected to hear Hermione swearing and telling him exactly what she would do to him in graphic detail for suggesting she should cook for him.

Except, none of that happened.

Instead, he heard the softest moan come from the kitchen, followed by an equally soft sigh. Filled with natural curiosity after hearing such sounds being made from Hermione, Draco had to see just what had caused such a reaction from her. All the while telling himself that the sounds Hermione made didn't stir something within Draco that he hadn't wished to feel for Hermione Granger again.

Again. Because there had been that moment during the Yule Ball a couple of years ago when Hermione had unwittingly been stood by him. Both their dates(Pansy and that bastard Viktor Krum)had been off getting drinks or something trivial, and Draco had been wishing the drinks were spiked with Ogden's famous Fire Whiskey so he could at least be drunk when Pansy tried to tear of his new dress robes. Draco recalled how he hadn't meant to stare at the Gryffindor girl in her pink dress with her normally messy curls swept up elegantly from her face. Draco certainly hadn't meant to feel the same rush of desire he was feeling again now when he thought of the Gryffindor Princess. Yet here he was, and he had been..wanting to lose himself in her and feel something for the first time in years that wasn't pain, anger or betrayal.

Telling himself to repeat the thought of 'You're not good enough for her' like a mantra, Draco made his way into the kitchen only to see Hermione leaning back against the pine kitchen table with a cup of coffee in her hands. The blissful look on her face only further adding to the rising desire Draco was trying to deny. No; he told himself, he really didn't fancy Hermione Granger he really, really didn't want to hear those breathy moans be caused because of him.

No, he really didn't..

Salazar, he couldn't even begin to believe it himself. He couldn't convince himself that he didn't want her. Draco knew without doubt that he wanted her to look the way she did now over a damn coffee; at him because of something he did. However, he knew that he also didn't want to totally fuck up the fragile friendship they had built up in the last few months because he had finally seen her with open eyes and liked what he saw.

 _"You alright there Hermione... Only I thought you were making me lunch; not acting like that's an elixir made by Merlin himself, rather than a coffee I made. Though he was an egotistical Gryffindor like you I bet he would love the praise!"_

Hermione's eyes met Draco's over the rim of her cup, widening in shock at the dark, almost stormy grey hue of his eyes. She had spent time watching Draco Malfoy as he faced various experiences with his emotions being expressed either guarded or open for all to see. She had always seen Draco to be an all or nothing kind of person something that Hermione could relate too. Although, it was something she would not or rather,could not; tell him because of Harry and Ron. They were far from willing, even now when they knew the truth about Draco, wouldn't tolerate hearing that he was a good guy after all. Or as good as Draco Malfoy would let himself be at any rate.

 _"Mmmhmm. Just feeling a bit more alert and with it than I was earlier.."_

Her smile faltered for a moment before Draco's hand was being held in her own. At some point, she had stepped forward and into Draco's personal space. The scent of his soap fresh mint and thyme, was strong in the air, lingering and settling it seemed on her own skin. Along with it was the intoxicating scent of coconut which Hermione believed to be his shampoo, that settled too around her and she remembered briefly smelling something like that when she had been practising how to make Amortentia to help the twins prepare for Valentines Day at Weasley's Wizard Wheezes the year before. Hermione hadn't known then who the smells were associated with but now..well now, she knew and wouldn't be saying anything anytime soon as she hadn't smelt the third scent that of old paper commonly smelt when opening the old books in Hogwart's extensive library.

Circe! Draco smelt heavenly though was her first and totally irrelevant thought. Though where that had come from, Hermione insisted to herself, she didn't know. Like she had only just thought she wasn't in the least bit attracted to him and she was certain plenty of men she had encountered used that soap and shampoo. Although, she had to admit to herself, earlier when Draco had been holding her, she had been very aware of just how attractive the former 'Slytherin Prince' was. Managing to drag her thoughts from how damn good he looked without his shirt on to the present situation; Hermione lifted her gaze from his pale muscular chest to find herself caught in his ardent grey gaze. Draco was looking at her expectantly she realised as she became are also, that his thumb was moving slowly across her palm in a soothing manner. Smiling softly, Hermione shook her head to regain some clarity, dragging herself from her musings as she wondered if she was indeed slowly losing her mind.

 _"I'm sorry Malfoy."_

The look on his face, one of pain and inner torment made Hermione falter and start again. Habits though it seemed were hard to break no matter how good the intention to keep promises of new beginnings in their friendship, she had simply just called him Malfoy too long and it was habit to address him so.

Yet, she had promised Draco she would stop using his surname when talking to him.

 _"Let me try that again. I'm sorry Draco, for screaming earlier and stopping you going out to train; I hope your teammates understood whatever excuse you gave them because I know how important Quidditch is to you._

 _I was..I was lost in thought after waking from a nightmare, thinking about how Voldemort destroyed so many lives; and continues to do, even though he's dead. I was remembering the Tri-Wizard Tournament final and poor Cedric Diggle I can still see him lying there in Harry's arms. Everything changed that day didn't it Draco?_

 _It was seeing him lying there that made the Ministry panic and people realise that Dumbledore wasn't rambling madness and fairy tales to frighten people and cause trouble. He looked so small Draco, Diggory I mean..and Harry has never forgiven himself from it, he blames himself for allowing Cedric to hold that damn trophy or port-key rather."_

Fighting back the onslaught of tears, Hermione couldn't stop what she did next. She needed just for a moment, she told herself; to not be strong, even if Draco thought her to be losing her mind. She settled her head against his chest and cried quietly. Holding onto Draco did indeed give Hermione strength to continue despite how hard it was to recall the nightmarish thoughts she went through day by day.

 _"When I close my eyes, I see all the bodies lying out in the Great Hall and how everywhere that I used to love being has become shrouded with Death. I miss everyone so much, how the twins could cause utter chaos in an empty room. Fred and George were loved by everyone in this school because of their mischievous ways I even remember you laughing when the tormented Umbridge during her reign of terror. George hasn't been the same since, he's serious and lost as if a part of him is missing which I guess it is in the form of Fred; none of the Weasley family have been the same and the Burrow just doesn't seem right; maybe that's why Ron has changed and become so..so moody and withdrawn. His temper has got worse since his brother died and he frightens me at times, and I feel useless because I can't do anything at all to help them."_

All through her heart-broken recollection, she could feel Draco's cool hands run along her back trying to soothe her whilst he whispered softly that she would be fine, that she was safe now..

 _"Then there's poor Teddy Lupin, he was barely a month old when Remus and Tonks died in the final battle they were laid side by side you know Draco, and they looked like they were just sleeping and I prayed that they would open their eyes and ask for their little boy.. Teddy is five months old now Draco, and he's never going to know his parents. It doesn't matter to him that they were heroes in the worst battle our world has even had to fight, nor does it matter to him that they were honoured on a plaque in this school along with so many others because all he wants is to be cuddled and his parents will never be able to do that for him._

 _Everybody says everything is better now because Voldemort is dead, and most of his followers are in Azkaban but it's not alright when there are children left without parents from either side of the battle. Nothing is better when there's still so much misery in the world Draco."_

Draco felt a pang of guilt at her words about the Weasley twin, it was indeed true that despite the natural reaction to dislike Gryffindor students, many Slytherins were fans of the brothers' work and talent to always find a way to cause havoc and fun. Draco had indeed found himself laughing at their antics especially when they left the school due to Umbridge's totalitarian way of running Hogwarts as per the request of the Ministry. However, it was when she spoke of Teddy Lupin that the pain got worse..

Clearly Hermione didn't know the link that Draco had to the little boy, and his Mother. Sighing softly, his hands came to a stop at the base of her spine as fingers idly moved in the same reassuring way that had when roaming her entire back. Torn between keeping the knowledge to himself and placing some trust in Hermione's hands, he recalled how shocked he had been when his Mother had informed him that he wasn't the only surviving child although he was the sole heir to the Black estate now due to a relative being disowned formally through actions being taken with the Ministry.

 _"He's my cousin.. Teddy that is, or second cousin, I don't know. His Grand Mother; Andromeda was, well, she still is.. my Aunt. The Black Family didn't approve of her marriage to Ted Tonks because he was like you Hermione; Muggle-born and as you know the Black Family were pure-bloods like the Malfoy Family and marrying a Muggle-born was deemed worse than anything to my Great Grand-parents."_

Momentarily stunned by his words, Hermione pulled back just enough to look at him closely, needing to see for herself if Draco was telling her the truth. The guilt that she saw there made her suspicious at first until she heard his mumbled words before he pulled her back in and buried his head into her curls.

 _"I want to fix everything they broke and destroyed Hermione, starting with my nephew but she won't let me near because of who I am.. I'm tired of being seen as the bad boy, the Death Eater and the Malfoy heir who crushes everyone under his boot to get what he wants._

 _Hermione, I need you to help me and I promise, I will help you get through these nightmares. Please, will you at least think on it for me, I know it's a lot to ask but I want to do the best I can for Hogwarts as Head Boy, and I want to help those my family hurt by proving I'm not the foolish son of Lucius Malfoy any more."_

Nodding slowly, Hermione agreed silently to help him, even if it meant that Harry and Ron thought she was losing her mind after all there was a reason Headmistress McGonagall had put her with Draco this final year, and there was a reason she had slowly opened up to him over the weeks between the war's end and return to the school. Maybe it was to find the redemption they both needed or to heal what was so very broken inside them.

Standing in the quiet kitchen, the two broken students held onto each other as they let the pain of trying to stay strong leave them in the form of tears from Hermione and silent regret from Draco. The blonde was lost for words having opened up once more to Hermione Granger rather than his usual confidante, Pansy Parkinson or Blaise Zabini - he didn't know why, nor did he really want too, but having Hermione near him had made him feel human whereas around his friends, Draco was always waiting for the world to come crashing down around him as had often done so in the past.

Over her shoulder, he saw Winky and another House Elf bring in a basket of food that could have easily been delivered to them on plates, but he didn't question it as the young House Elf smiled and curtseyed to him and Hermione's back. It seemed someone else was well aware that the tower now had two students living in it, and not one judging by the sheer quantity of food there was carefully stored within the wicker basket. An idea came to mind as he slowly turned the witch around in his arms and let her see the delivery.

 _"Maybe we should just.. make lunch and then we'll try and have a relaxing Saturday together without any more tears or sadness. I reckon we can even escape going to the Great Hall later on and therefore avoid Potty and the Weasel making comments or moon eyes at you Hermione."_

His cheeky comment had the desired effect as a sharp swift elbow to the ribs had him buckling over in pain, although exaggerated to make Hermione laugh. Merlin; he loved her laugh, it was like a bright rainbow coming over the clouds on a truly lousy day - you couldn't help but feel blessed and happy to have been witness to such a beautiful thing.

Sliding his arms from around her waist, he made his way to the basket and smiled to himself, maybe today was the day he would work out how not to burn water?

Glancing over his shoulder to watch the Head Girl fix her shirt sleeves and dry her eyes, his gaze fell to the scar left by Bellatrix on her inner arm and he became very confused - the skin around the letters was bright red and looked raw, as if the word had only just been forced into her flesh. Catching her smile as she wiped away the tears that framed her deep brown eyes, he wondered if she had noticed what he himself had seen, and if so? Why wasn't she bothered by it - surely it must hurt if it was that severely swollen and sore?

She seemed unaware, and that worried Draco greatly. There was no way, magic induced scar or not; that it should look like that...

 _"Stop staring Draco, I'm fine. Now let's get making some lunch I'm starving and I want to get my homework for Slughorn out the way afterwards; you're going to help me aren't you?"_

Clearly she wasn't aware of it - and Draco said nothing as they set to work making themselves a hearty brunch; the two of them arguing repeatedly about who was in the way of the other.


	3. Darkness

I don't own Harry Potter©. Harry Potter© is the property of J.K Rowling and Warner Brothers, and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only and to sate my  
love of the characters.

* * *

 **Chapter Three Darkness.**

Surprisingly enough for both Draco and Hermione, life at Hogwarts seemed to be relatively normal, or rather and normal as life could be in the wake of the horrors both had experienced months before. It was peaceful at least, with the majority of pupils  
going about their day without causing undue chaos for the prefects and Head Students who were busy playing catch-up on their studies as well as processing the increased workload that would be required for all Year Seven pupils who wished to pass their  
N.E.W.T.s.

It was as if students and Professors alike were eager to force the events of the beginning of the year to the past and move on from the horrors many had either experienced or witnessed first hand. Although she never spoke about it, Hermione felt itwas  
impossible to do as everywhere she went; Hermione saw death, carnage and memories of Death Eaters and loyal Order members fighting for what they believed in. Nightmares for the young witch continued to plague her, leaving Hermione barely conscious  
when sitting through breakfast and often the first class of the day; Draco fared no better often waking in a cold sweat as recollections of what Voldemort had forced him to witness went through his mind night after night. The two would be found often  
curled up under respective House blankets by the freshly lit fire in silence - the one and only time Draco had tried to speak to Hermione had led to a stare that had made him freeze half-way through the query as to whether she was warm enough. He'd  
opted for the silence instead and withdrawn himself further from the Gryffindor who clearly still did not trust him, not that he blamed her.

That did not stop him watching over her when Hermione hadn't a clue to his presence.

Draco had noticed the creak of her door just after Midnight on several occasions and the murmur of 'Muffliato' to ensure her steps weren't heard by him; he had laughed the first time because she obviously did not think about him hearing her speak.. Regardless  
of her unspoken wishes for him to not concern himself with her, Draco would pull on his Slytherin Quidditch shirt and step out of his room after uttering the same Muffliato charm to be unheard by Hermione.

He often found her curled up in a chair asleep in the library, the book discarded to her lap and candle burning softly to one side of her peaceful features. Thankful that Madam Prince slept soundly in her private quarter of the library, Draco would risk  
life and limb every time by carrying the sleeping Head Girl back to their tower and she would wake slightly confused on the couch of their living room.

Two nights before Halloween, they had been up late talking about Slughorn's planned test of their year to access fully what the students knew, and what areas needed to be gone over to prepare them for their upcoming and highly important N.E.W.T.s Draco  
had found himself dealing with an extremely anxious Hermione and had promised to not only help her prepare, but had said that he would attend the Halloween dinner that was being held for a selective few of the particularly unpleasant Potions Professor's  
favourite students on the following night. In attendance he learnt, would be Hermione and himself, Blaise Zabini, Morag MacDougal from Ravenclaw, Megan Jones from Hufflepuff and Parvati Patil from Gryffindor. It would Draco surmised, be a night he  
required copious amounts of alcohol and the Malfoy ability to hide every true emotion from those around him. After all, he couldn't rock the boat when it came to Slughorn.

Draco hadn't been sure why he had agreed to attend at first, apart from the fact he despised the returning Potions Professor, the feeling being mutual and had in truth. Yes, Draco wanted to see if the rumours he had heard a couple of years ago from Lucius  
were correct - that Slughorn supported the Dark Lord even if he hadn't been a Death Eater. If the rumours were right, Draco had every intention of having Slughorn taken by Aurors to Azkaban where he hoped the slimy bastard would lose his mind. But  
there was also an overwhelming feeling that Slughorn was up to something - Draco just did not know what, but he had an inkling he knew the why and that was to destroy the relative peace that had fallen on Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

However, this night having been woken by her soft voice and the closing of her door above him, Draco had headed swiftly to the school library believing he would find Hermione in her usual space. Finding the chair empty and no sign of the books, Draco  
found himself confused and desperate - that was until he found Peeves provoking the paintings along the first floor corridor of the Training Grounds Tower just outside the sanctuary both the Head Boy and Head Girl enjoyed.

 _"Silly silly Heads, running 'round the school when everyone's sleeping! One is here and one out there which one will wake up screaming!"_

 _"Out where Peeves? Where is Granger, tell me you cretin and maybe the Bloody Baron won't come and chase you out the school for drawing on his painting."_

The look of abject horror on Peeves's face only further spurred on Malfoy's line of questioning, knowing time was of the essence to ensure the safe return of Granger to her blanket by the fire. Clearly the poltergeist had other ideas at first but the  
Baron had instilled fear in all ghosts residing within the walls of Hogwarts over the years as well as Slytherin students who failed to live up to the expectations of the house ghost.

 _"You spoilt my fun silly student, it is not my fault she went to the lake when it is snowing! I told her that she'll be a statue come morning and they Gryffindor can get a better ghost than the silly Nicholas and his wobbly head!"_

Swearing revenge on the damn poltergeist in the form of some persuasive words to the Baron, Draco ran the length of the school and out into the cold autumnal night. Cursing the lack of a wand, he made his way towards the lake yelling for Hermione but  
heard nothing in return - fearing the worse; he called out for his wand, thankful for the ability to wield the Accio spell without the damn thing.

Mumbling about stupid, stubborn Gryffindor witches and their ludicrous behaviour after the Summer, he found himself watching Hermione as she sat curled up at the water's edge. She seemed unaware of the heavy flakes falling around her, despite the blue  
tinge her skin was going and the chill in the early morning air; slowly moving closer to her, Draco called out to her hoping for her to curse him into next week or something; anything.. For the first time in months, he was afraid of what he was going  
to face; Hermione was too stiff and too quiet, and the pain of loss was already creeping through him as Draco knelt at her side.

 _"Granger?"_

She did not move, not a flicker of recognition when it came to his soft whisper - her gentle brown eyes never left the still waters of the lake. Draco watched each and every snowflake soak into her shirt and wondered how Hermione did not feel them, had  
she performed a 'Callesco' charm upon herself to keep her small body warm. Judging by the blue of her lips however, Draco did not think so and wondered momentarily how the supposed greatest witch of their generation had forgotten something so simple.

 _"Accio cloak, Accio blanket."_

Lifting his head to see not one but two blankets towards the couple, Draco thanked his lucky stars for the soft lift and fall of Hermione's chest which was the only indication that his..the little witch was still alive. Being friends with her, and caring  
about her, Draco surmised; was going to be hard on his head and heart especially as he had no plans of letting Hermione Granger know that he was capable of caring about anyone bar himself. He had already ascertained that she did not recall him carrying  
her from the library nearly every night, so she wouldn't recall the fact he would no doubt carry her from the lakeside.

 _"I miss them, I try to carry on like Headmistress McGonagall wants us too, smiling and being positive about the future but it is too hard. Where are they, I mean do they go to Heaven and that's it? Children were made to be soldiers and for what?_

 _There's still hatred towards Muggle-Borns, Squibs are still scoffed at because they weren't given the ability to use magic, I know that there are people out there who still call me 'Mudblood' behind my back. I want.. I wish I could fix it all somehow, make it be a happier place for us all but I'm scared."_

Draco felt his blood run cold at the word he had thrown towards Hermione in the years leading up to the Second Great War, Lucius had told him it would make the young witch unsettled but he hadn't known just why at that moment.

However, the why had been learnt and understood too late to be rectified, and had made Draco feel queasy but the damage had been done and the fa ade of the arrogant Death Eater in training had become part and parcel of the person Draco had no choice to  
be.

Only his Godfather had known the truth after a few late night confessions and had convinced Dumbledore to listen to Draco when the assassination of Hogwarts Headmaster had been planned by the Death Eaters. Clearly, Hermione Granger was lost in thought  
over the friends she had lost in the war, unaware no doubt of how long she had been there nor of the blanket being wrapped around her by Draco. For a brief moment, he smiled seeing his house colours around her shoulders and the subtle pink returning  
to her Cupid's bow lips. She was, Draco admittedly solely to himself, breathtaking. Lifting her up into his arms, he couldn't deny that he liked how her fragile hands held onto him, and he couldn't help wish the circumstances of this closeness were  
different, maybe instead, it could have been the two watching the stars and he had taught Miss Know It All all about the celestial visions above them both that was the stars laid out on their midnight sky.. Sighing softly, he walked back through the  
snow, the Gryffindor blanket that lay across the young witch's legs creating small snakes in the settled snow.

The following morning, Hermione woke before the fire once more confused as to how she got there. The young witch had a perfect memory of needing to be away from the books she loved, choosing instead to wander out to the tranquil lake. She had thought  
about the twins some more, recalling them trying to catch the sleeping squid from this very water and then it had grown, the sorrow increasing at every recollection of the two boys Hermione had regarded as surrogate brothers. Dragging the Slytherin  
blanket from around her body, her gaze fell to the closed door that led to Draco's bedroom and wondered if she owed him a thank you for her return. Rising from the couch, blanket now wrapped around her slender arms, she contemplated her every move  
and action and realised that it had indeed been Draco who had returned her every night to this very room, for hadn't she always found the emerald green blanket close at hand when it hadn't been there earlier in the evening?

 _"Draco?"_

Her hand rose to the door, knocking only once before the feral growl of annoyance from the Head Boy made her stumble back.

 _"Don't apologise Granger, we both know you don't mean it - I guess the letters this year were a mistake and I'll keep my distance."_

What had happened for Draco to react that way, to revert back to the usage of her surname rather than her given first name.. She had believed them to be friends now, to be close enough to be honest. The folded blanket was left outside his door and Hermione  
ran to her room to prepare for the meal with Slughorn, her body already chilling in fear of what was to come. Merlin, she hated him with a passion but she needed to get good grades on all her classes to enter the Ministry without having it be said  
she was given everything because she was Hermione Granger, part of the Golden Trio. For once, Hermione felt it was best not to push the matter further, but she was curious as to what had happened to make him become so cold and evasive to her once  
more. Once she knew what it was, she vowed to fix it and show Draco that he wasn't alone, something she was painfully aware, that Draco felt no matter what he said..

Because he'd been honest to her in his letters - or so she hoped.

Unbeknownst to Hermione as she began laying out three simple dresses for the upcoming dinner, Draco was working with his personal House Elf, Zeely to prepare for the same dinner wanting, despite his better judgement to be there for Hermione. Rolling his  
grey eyes as he recalled the events that had followed him carrying her home to their tower; Draco felt the ache caused by her cold words hit him once more. He had laid everything on the line for their friendship, exposing himself to her in a way he  
knew he would never do again with anyone else. Hermione had in one night, broken everything they had built together and yet, Draco was unwilling to give her up - even at a risk to his sanity.

 _"Master Draco likes the green tie and this suit? Zeely will make sure it is all ready for Master Draco and that the flowers are delivered to Miss Hermione. Master Draco's robes are clean and the school elves are putting the snake Master requested into the side instead of the Malfoy crest. Is Master Draco happy, Zeely wants to see her Master smile again like Master did in the summer at home."_

The house elf had gone too far, Draco's teeth ground together to keep his temper under control. It wasn't Zeely's fault that as his own house elf, she knew Draco better than anyone, even his Mother couldn't read him the way Zeely did. But her careful  
observation of his mood and the way he looked wasn't needed now - Draco loved Zeely deeply, she was like a sibling and he had hated how he had been forced to treat her in front of his parents but in secret, when the two of them had been left in the  
privacy of his room? He hadn't ever demanded anything of her, had even gone as far to have a dress made for her that Zeely had refused to take because she had feared clothes would take her from her Master in the way Dobby had left Master Lucius when  
Harry Potter gave him socks. Zeely had known about Hermione's letters, had known that Master Draco wanted to be something other than Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy's son and heir. She had seen her Master become someone she did not recognise, but someone  
she liked and loved in Draco, and wanted nothing more than to restore faith in her Master..

That light had gone out in Draco's grey eyes once more and Hermione Granger was to blame.

 _"Master Draco is fine Zeely, please just get my robes to me and ensure that no trace of that crest remains. I don't want to see it tonight when I'm facing that man."_

Slughorn was a monster in Draco's eyes, he had betrayed not only Voldemort but also Dumbledore's faith in him. He had been allowed back into Hogwarts because there wasn't enough evidence that Slughorn had been involved in the Dark Lord's plans for the  
Wizarding World as a whole, it did not matter to Draco that Slughorn had fought with McGonagall and Kingsley Shacklebolt in the final battle - the man was as sneaky and conniving as could be; a true student of Slytherin.

Swallowing stiffly, Draco looked at his reflection, at the long hair that fell across his eyes, the haunted look in those steel grey eyes, and the frown that seemed to be ever present when on the receiving end of Hermione's words or the dark thoughts  
that came afterwards.

Draco Malfoy, he decided to himself, was as bad a man as Horace Slughorn. Hadn't he betrayed both sides by playing spy? Hadn't he looked into the eyes of the Dark Lord and pledged loyalty whilst his heart had been with Dumbledore and he had strived albeit  
secretly to make the Malfoy name be more than something dark and malevolent. Maybe those realisations were why what Hermione had said to him in her sleepy daze had hit him so hard and made him second guess everything he had strived to do, closing  
his eyes, he fell back onto his bed and stared up at the ceiling ignoring the few England Quidditch flags he had floating above him. Being hated by her was something he couldn't cope with - he protected those close to him, whether that be Blaise,  
Theo or Pansy. Draco's family were the friends he had had since childhood and for a short period of time, Hermione Granger had been on that small but to him, important list.

She did what he couldn't.

Closing his eyes, he heard the small 'pop' as Zeely returned to either the mansion or Hogwarts's kitchens.

 _"I know you are my friend Draco, and you're a good man underneath it all but no one sees it, no one will believe it because you hide it. You're here and you're still strutting around like you always did, Draco you scare people - you're not the man I knew over the Summer holiday, you're not what I thought you were if you need to do that still._

 _Just be you, I liked you. Stop being scared Draco."_

Draco Malfoy was many things he told himself, but he wasn't scared of anything. Not any more at any rate, he did admit to being afraid of his Father's wrath and the insanity that had been Lucius's blind loyalty to him. Draco had been truly afraid of what  
he had seen in the Dark Lord's eyes when he had spoken of his plans to kill Dumbledore and how Draco had to do it to rectify the honour of the Malfoy name.

He wasn't scared of how people him saw him now, no.. that wasn't why he walked with the arrogance of a man who did not have a care in the world. He was doing it because it kept people away from him and ensured when he demanded they go to their respective  
dorm at night? They went. He used his cool demeanour to see if there were loyal followers of Voldemort's cause still within the school and if so, he would notify the Aurors at the Ministry of their names. Hermione had lost her faith in him because  
Draco was doing everything he could to protect her as the most famous Muggle-born witch in the world probably.. Certainly those students at Mahoutokoro that Draco had met on a holiday to Japan three years before had known of Hermione Granger, the  
Weasel and of course the infamous Boy Who Lived, Harry bloody Potter. The events of the Tri-Wizard Cup having spread far and wide and photographs of the sister papers to The Prophet had often carried pictures of the Golden Trio if the papers he had  
seen when visiting America were anything to go by.

 _"I am different. I'm not that foolish boy but she's blind - Granger's just like Potter and the Weasel, they see me as something beneath them. Why do I bother trying if she believes the damn act I put on when I am trying to save her!"_

Damn Hermione bloody Granger to Hell for this.

Throwing himself off the bed with a growl of annoyance at both her and his maudlin reaction to her words, Draco strode towards his bathroom, stripping off the suit trousers and grey shirt he had been wearing. It seemed he thought to himself as he glanced  
at his reflection, noticing that the scars from the battle and the Sectum Sempra spell were still dark rather than pale against his ivory flesh, that old habits died hard when it came to his attire. Suits and smart dress at all times had been a requirement  
of Lucius when Draco was at the manor and he had dressed this way on his return to Hogwarts. He longed to shun the clothes in favour of something casual and more appropriate for a boy his age but his Mother had loved him dressed this way and he held  
onto them as a way to remember her bright but rare smile. Something that Narcissa and Granger had in common was the rarity of their smile, as was the beauty it brought to their faces.. Something he was sure the girl above him would hate to hear at  
present. Clad only in a towel, Draco laid out the soap he used and a fresh warm towel to adorn his hips when he stepped out from the soothing bath. Zeely would of course pout briefly at her Master doing such menial tasks himself but he needed this  
time alone and even his house elf was too much for him to bear.

Sinking into the bath, Draco sighed softly and welcomed the tranquillity of the room and allowed his mind to close off to the anger he felt towards the Head Girl above him. Thankful that the slimy Potions Master liked Draco as well, he called for the  
invitation so he could read over it once more - there was something about it that made him uncomfortable and Draco couldn't work out just what it was. Turning the card over and over between his fingers, he tried to recall what his Father had said  
about Horace Slughorn once when Draco had brought up the (at the time) retired Potions Master. It had been something about the Knights of Walpurgis and how they were the beginning of the Death Eaters, how so many witches and wizards had flocked to  
the Knights of Walpurgis when the Wizarding World had faltered, although why? Lucius had been unsure.

Frowning softly, Draco wondered if it was true that Horace Slughorn had been a member of the Knights alongside Tom Riddle, knowing the Walpurgis Night fell at the end of April, Draco felt a cold shiver run through him despite the heat of the water. He  
needed to know more about the Knights of Walpurgis and especially what on Earth Walpurgis was,Salazar, Draco knew that whatever it was? It was incredibly important and was part of why he had felt so unsettled when the invitations for both Hermione  
and himself had been delivered by one of the school's elves. He knew that he had to research everything related to the damn Knights, which meant a trip to the library as soon as possible or sending Zeely and his owl to the Manor to retrieve the transcripts  
that wouldn't be permitted within the hallowed Hogwarts library due to the leaning towards dark magic that would be found therein.

 _"Merlin! How did I get myself into this, I could just be studying and shagging one of the eager Slytherin year sixes who keep staring at me when I'm out patrolling the corridors, instead I'm this new Malfoy who's acting far too much like those Gryffindor saints. Damn Granger and her friendship and her lack of faith in me, I hate the fact I want to prove myself to her."_

Sinking his soaped body below the water, Draco closed his eyes instinctively and welcomed the silence that came from being lain below the bubbles, his mind's eye wandering to the first night he had held Hermione when she had her nightmares. Then, he had  
felt like he truly had a friend in her, had believed that she saw beyond his past mistakes and had given him a brief glimpse of what it was like to have a friend who did not want you for your influence and family name. Now, he believed her to hate  
him once more and it made him angry and hurt - just what would it take from Saint Hermione Granger to realise he wasn't the child he had been. That he wouldn't slip back into dark ways because he knew the truth from the lies he had been fed. Draco  
did not want Hermione to know he was vulnerable and wearing his arrogance like a well worn mask.. He did not have Crabbe and Goyle to keep the violence from him, nor did he have influence to stop the death threats from both sides of the war arriving  
by owls every day.

He had believed he had her friendship though, but a friend wouldn't tell someone to drop the one thing that kept them safe would they.

No, Draco told himself, but in truth he had no idea if they would or not, and he couldn't ask anyone because then, he would have questions being cast towards him that he couldn't answer properly because Granger wanted to keep their friendship secret from  
Potter and the Weasel - something else that had hurt Draco but she did not know that.

 _"Zeely!"_

The pop Draco heard from the bedroom told him that his elf had arrived, and the shuffling of fabric confirmed that his robes were being laid out onto the bed for him to dress and then carefully make his way up the stairs to call upon Hermione. She may  
have treated him like something worse than if he were kin to Nagini, but a promise was a promise and Hermione Granger would be on Draco Malfoy's arm for dinner and it would be him who sat by her at the small table Slughorn had for his dinners.

 _"Please go to the Manor and retrieve all books you have on the Knights of Walpurgis. Oh and go to Harry Potter and ask if he can contact Kreacher, you can guarantee the Black Family have some on that group of Wizards and Witches, tell him that your Master is researching the darker sides of his family if he says no, remind him that the Black Family are a part of the Malfoy family and that it is very important."_

Draco know that Saint bloody Potter would argue with Zeely over the books but one way or the other, Draco would retrieve the books that had belonged in the Manor at some point as there were large spaces in the collection from when his Mother had returned  
several books to Grimmauld Place and no doubt made Kreacher's week given how the elf was fiercely loyal to the Black name, except for Sirius if he recalled. Stupid elf had chosen the wrong family members to adore but such was life for one who only  
spent time around the followers of the Dark Lord and believed blood purity to be more important than ensuring magic did not disappear from the world altogether. Something that Draco did not give a Galleon about now was blood purity, in truth he never  
had but he hadn't been strong enough to stand up to the violent Father and when he had questioned it, Lucius had turned on him, inflicting charms that had him bleeding all over the polished floor of his Father's study. It had been safer for all to  
just go along with what Lucius told Draco was expected of a Malfoy, and especially Draco who was the heir to two large pure blooded families who were held in high esteem by the Wizarding World.

Poppycock Draco now though, the Malfoy name had been feared and now they were nothing. Something Draco was trying to rectify and not in the way Lucius would like as Draco worked hard to show the world that the heir to the throne liked Muggles, and respected  
Muggle born witches and wizards. It was one of the reasons he had invested money in St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, especially in the treatment of those who resided in the wards dedicated to long time care, people such as the  
Longbottoms who had been tortured by Bellatrix, Rodolphus, and Rabastan Lestrange; and Bartemius Crouch Jr. He had to make up for his family's poor life choices if he was to be given a chance to prove he could change..

Something that Hermione clearly had decided was beyond his capability.

Rising up from the water, Draco ran his fingers through his hair guiding it back off his eyes and stepped out from the bath tub, feeling the cool air hit his skin seeming to make the scars that adorned his body tingle. Refusing to look down so he couldn't  
see the Dark Mark, he grabbed the towel and slid it around his waist before performing a simple charm to dry his dripping blond hair. The Exaresco charm also drying his skin as the water evaporated away leaving him ready to dress and prepare for the  
evening ahead.

 _"Did you take the flowers to Miss Granger?"_

Opening the door, Draco took in the diminutive way Zeely was standing and frowned.

Over the years, Draco had tried his best to encourage his elf to not be so fragile before him. Never in his life had he told his elf off, even if things had gone awry. He had never put her in any position that could bring her harm and had secretly supported  
S.P.E.W when Hermione had started her campaign to help the house elves although Draco had known she was on a losing path as house elves liked serving others - though he had believed they shouldn't have been essentially slaves to families and organisations  
such as Hogwarts. Something Zeely and Draco had spoken about often when they were able to talk freely and unbeknownst to Hermione, Draco had contacted the Ministry highlighting her campaign to the Minister who oversaw the Department for the Regulation  
and Control of Magical Creatures and encouraged them to look into how their could be for control in how the house elves were treated by their employers.

Maybe then, Dobby's death could be for something more personal to the house elf, like the treatment of his own kind. Maybe then, more house elves would have been able to fight for the good there was in the Wizarding World.

Just be me.. Hermione you have no idea what you asked of me.

Noticing the way Zeely was pensively rolling her hands between one another, Draco sat on the edge of the bed and murmured her name, hoping the calm tone would soothe his elf as something had her so very nervous.

 _"Miss Granger liked the flowers, she said thank you very much and gave me one for you Master Draco. She says it will look nice on your robes and that she apologises once more for upsetting you Master. Is there anything else Master Draco or should Zeely go get your Firewhisky from the kitchen?"_

Nodding silently at Zeely's request to get the Firewhisky that would settle his nerves, Draco noticed the single white rose in a vase - one of the many he had sent intermixed with pink roses. Of course, the flowers had been ordered before Granger had  
kicked him down once more, but Draco had wanted to give her something beautiful to distract her from the meal she was dreading. They had both attended one of the dinners a couple of years before hand, and had seen Slughorn virtually kissing Potter's  
ass in an attempt to win over the Boy Who Lived. Draco hadn't ever been sure if the slimy bastard had convinced Harry that he had turned over a metaphorical leaf until the battle of Hogwarts, and even then his suspicions over Slughorn had remained  
\- at first, Draco had believed it to be because Slughorn was after his Godfather's role as Potions Master, now he believed it to still be that; and something so much more sinister.

 _"Get my whiskey Zeely then go do anything you want, Master won't need you till morning."_

It was the closest Draco could get to convincing his elf to take a day off.. They had compromised on her having time to herself when Draco was capable of looking after himself and as Slughorn would only be serving Butter Beers, Draco would be as sober  
as an Auror when he came back to the Tower. Smiling to himself, he stood and threw the towel towards the basket of clothing that Zeely would ensure were clean come lunchtime tomorrow. It was time to get dressed, and if Granger had both liked and accepted  
the flowers, then perhaps he could make an effort to not let her see that his feelings had been hurt.

Rising from the bed, the naked wizard began to dress, sliding toned legs into the finely tailored suit trousers before retrieving the slate grey shirt his Mother had had made from him at a Muggle tailor in London; Savile Row, Draco admitted was the only  
place he would get his suits from even when Muggles were a topic to be avoided in the Wiltshire home he lived in.

Admiring his appearance, he carried on dressing; the green tie slipping around his collar adding a flash of colour and house pride to his attire. He refused to look scruffy when he had seen the dresses Hermione (his mind already reverting back to her  
first name as his anger faded) choosing from with the assistance of the Weasel's sister. Not that Draco Malfoy ever looked unkempt, it simply wasn't something he allowed to happen, much to the amusement of Blaise and Theo who had teased him when they  
were children and he had got an outfit ruined when playing with their magic. Laughing to himself as he recalled his uptight self, Draco began fixing his hair, allowing the long fringe to fall over his eyes partially and the long hair at his neck be  
tied back with the usage of a strip of leather. Long hair.. That was something he hadn't quite got used too, but it had happened in the months since the war and Draco hadn't bothered to fix it even if it did remind him of Lucius.

He would ask Pansy to cut it if it drove him mad; that was unless Hermione said he suited it then the hair would remain long, or at least to his shoulders because any longer and he would indeed be too reminded by the bastard whose name he shared.

Stupid small things like that had always had been a battle with Lucius.

A Malfoy had to be impeccable at times, maybe that was why Draco had stopped shaving and allowed the stubble to grow? Maybe to infuriate the man who he would never see again or acknowledge as his Father, Draco had allowed his hair to grow and be messy  
around his face? Anything he told himself, to prove that he could break away from the rules and restraints of being Lucius Malfoy's son and the heir to the darkness that was that damn name.

It certainly wasn't anything to do with the fact Hermione had commented on how he had looked so good in a photograph in the Daily Prophet last month. No, that was certainly not the reason, nor was it down to the fact that he had woken from studying and  
found he could watch her from behind the messy fringe and not be seen. Shaking his head, Draco finished dressing and told himself once more, nothing he did was for Hermione Granger, her smile wasn't a reason to do anything at all.

Maybe one day he would believe his own lie he told himself as he retrieved the white rose from the vase and murmured a charm to preserve it and attach it to his dress robes. Perfectly attired, he made his way out of his room, glass in hand.

Now or never Malfoy, it was time to get Miss Hermione Granger and enter the home of the traitor, Slughorn. Draco could only hope that his suspicions were right and that way, the memory of Severus Snape as one of the best Potions Masters Hogwarts had ever  
seen would remain.

Hermione Granger sat wrapped in a soft towel using Sleakeazy's Hair Potion to tame her erratic curls into resembling something far more elegant. The French braid had the vast majority of her hair away from her face but it was the potion that was a godsend  
as formerly wild curls now fell about her face as soft tendrils. She looked, Hermione had to admit, beautiful. Fixing her simple, delicate make-up was next and as Hermione stood and looked at her dress freshly purchased from Twilfitt and Tatting's.  
The store situated on the South Side of Diagon Alley - formerly too expensive for Hermione; but the money she had received from the Ministry as a form of compensation for the halt in her education and apparently to cover the pain of what she had witnessed  
during the Second War and especially at the Battle of Hogwarts, along with the money she was making from various newspapers had allowed Hermione to indulge in a new wardrobe along with the small apartment she had in Kensington that was currently being  
rented to a lovely wizard and his recently engaged fianc e, it had made sense to Hermione at the time to invest in a property in advance of her finishing her education at Hogwarts, and the couple had been thankful to find a new home for the foreseeable  
future. In regards to the wardrobe however; gone were scruffy jeans and over-sized shirts and in their place, elegant gowns and dresses alongside tailored blouses and shirts. Being best friends with Ginny Weasley, shopaholic in training, was good  
for her wardrobe and disastrous for her meagre bank balance at Gringotts Wizarding Bank and probably her Muggle money housed within the international bank, Barclays who unbeknownst to their muggle clientele had a department that worked directly with  
Gringotts ensuring that there was a smooth transaction of sterling to Galleons, Sickles and Knuts.

Tracing her fingers across the black silk, she found her fingertips searching out for the small diamonds across the top of the corset, knowing that once the dress was against her body the diamonds would sparkle across the swell of her breasts. It was  
a dress that declared to all that Hermione Granger had grown up and become a woman both physically and emotionally and in truth, that made her nervous because she did not know if she was that ready to embrace what being an adult in the Wizarding world  
would be like. Hogwarts had offered her a form of shelter from those rabid creatures like Rita Skeeter although she had been kept in line by the knowledge that Hermione knew Skeeter to be an unregistered Animagus had at least saved the young witch  
from more defamatory stories.

Her mind wandered to the Potions Master as Hermione dressed carefully wanting to ensure she looked her best but remained true to herself. Slughorn had often spoken about his distaste of Death Eaters and of everything Voldemort stood for, declaring that  
he was firmly against the beliefs that pure-bloods were the sole beings to deserve magic within their veins. But there was something about the saying from Hamlet of how 'Methinks the lady doth protest too much' of course it would be altered to be  
thou dost, but it rang true for Professor Slughorn. He was too verbal and too determined in his outcries against Voldemort and his followers, and that made the 'War Heroine' Hermione Granger highly suspicious.

 _"Granger, we're going to be late - I don't need to give the Slug a reason to berate me and insinuate I'm still a damnable Death Eater just because you made us late!"_

Retrieving her wand and hiding it within the secret confines of her dress, Hermione couldn't help but roll her dark eyes at her partner's demand. How many times had Draco been late for meetings with the various House Prefects or Professors? Too many and  
it had been her who had saved his ass from losing the given role of Head Boy. It wasn't even as if he wanted to attend the dinner Professor Slughorn was holding, having made it perfectly clear he despised the Potions Master and everything he claimed  
to stand for - which seemed namely to be changing his loyalties every other day and twice on Sunday.

"I'm coming Draco, the dinner isn't for another half an hour, but I get it - you want to get a few glasses of the FireWhisky in before Slughorn starts his interrogation of us all. I am intrigued by who he has chosen to invite, I thought Morag hated Potions  
but she's going and of course, there's Zabini? I did not even think he was coming back after being in Italy since Voldemort tried to draw him in with you, he looks well though - I guess managing to escape the clutches of that psychopath ensured that  
though "

Hermione was on a dangerous path with the direction she was going and as she caught the steel gaze he was casting her way, she faltered and smiled nervously.

 _"Granger, my best friend got away but he did end up helping the Dark Lord in his work - I don't know the details but virtually every child of the pure blooded aristocracy in this country were pulled to aid Voldemort at some point. He had believed me, as a Malfoy would be easy to draw into his inner circle first, and then he called on others, Mrs Zabini had always remained neutral in regards to pure blooded hierarchy in the Wizarding world, but many of the stepfathers Blaise has had weren't so indecisive and tried to encourage him to see the so-called wisdom in Voldemort's words and teachings. I feared for his safety and the moment I discovered that he had gone to Polignano a Mare where his Mother has a home, I had never been so relieved. There on the coast of the Valle d'Itria I knew Blaise was safe and even if Theo and I were going to be lost? One of the two men I have thought of as brothers since I was a little boy would survive and maybe show those who would only see me as Lucius Malfoy's Death Eater son and loyal puppet to Voldemort that I wasn't so lost as they believed._

 _But as you can see, we're both alive and we're going to have fun tonight even if it means we've got to play nice to Slughorn and see if the slimy git is trying to bring back the bloody Slug Club again._

 _Salazar! He's so obvious with his intent though some of the students at this little gathering don't strike me as his usual select few."_

The faint chuckle did not go unnoticed by Hermione as she too found herself amused by the possible antics of her fellow Head Student. Once a Slytherin always a Slytherin seemed so very accurate for Draco Malfoy as she took in the impeccable outfit and  
smirk that was matched by the now sparkling ardent hue of his gaze. Draco Malfoy was up to something and Hermione could tell, though what? She had no idea until the wizard before her held out a velvet clad box; arching a brow at the large jewellery  
box curiosity crept through her about just what was lying inside it. Moving closer, she couldn't help but giggle and a most unexpected bounce in her step had Hermione standing right before Draco as excitement had her cheeks flushing with a delicate  
rose tint.

 _"I sent an owl to Gringotts this morning for this to be delivered, it is from the Malfoy vault and I believe was given to my Grand Mother, Rosmerta Whisp on the eve of her wedding to my Grand Father, Abraxas - someone Slughorn was acquainted with ironically. I thought it would be nice for you to wear something beautiful and maybe distract the good Professor from his interrogation of us both."_

Keeping his opinion on the turnaround that occurred since 1996 when Draco had desperately wanted to be a part of the Slug Club to now where the Potions Master was essentially kissing the Malfoy heir's ass to draw him into the inner circle; the blonde  
concentrated on making Hermione the velvet clad box to reveal The Savoy-Aosta Emerald Necklace, a spectacular early 19th century emerald and diamond necklace that belonged to Princess H l ne d'Orl an before his Grandfather had procured it for his  
bride to be, Draco lifted his almost hypnotic gaze to the witch before him. Tracing her fingers over the delicate diamonds and over the elegantly cut emeralds that sparkled under the candles Hermione had lit to give the lounge a pleasant ambiance,  
the witch was entranced. There were no words to describe the necklace and matching earrings that lay nestled on the black velvet cushion and each time she tried, Hermione only managed to either squeak or gasp. Each beautiful green droplet was encrusted  
with delicate diamonds and hung from a sparkling row of fine diamonds on their white gold settings. Hermione knew that once the necklace was lain against her neck and earrings were adorning her petite ears she would be wearing a small fortune and,  
more importantly something of personal significance from the Malfoy collection - clearly the jewellery was kept for special occasions as it had been removed from Gringotts rather than the Wiltshire estate Draco called home.

 _"Are you sure?"_

The words were uttered at barely a whisper whilst a shy flush remained upon her elfin features. Hermione knew their friendship was strong and it had made her happier and more like herself in recent months but this gift even for an evening seemed too much.  
Draco was treating her like a Princess and she did not know how to act when confronted with the suited wizard, never mind when he opened the jewellery box for her to see what he wished her to wear. No one else, she imagined would be walking the halls  
of Hogwarts adorned in finely cut emeralds and diamonds.. But one look at Draco and she knew the answer to her murmured question.

Yes.

Yes; Draco was more than sure he wanted her to wear it and like the little girl who had stood in her parents living room adorned in her Mother's finery, Hermione found herself wanting to be a Princess even for just one night. Feeling his cool fingers  
against her arm as he turned her back to face him, Hermione caught a glimpse of their reflections in a looking glass she had bought in Alpheous Vane's Antiquities Emporium in Diagon Alley at the start of term. The necklace lay against her smooth skin  
resting perfectly on her clavicle and sparkled brightly, watching Draco's long nimble fingers caress the black silk over her shoulders as he fastened the small lock at the nape of her neck; Hermione felt a shiver run through her and held his gaze.  
She couldn't help but feel as though she was experiencing deja vu although this she knew, had never occurred between Draco and her before.

 _"You look beautiful Granger.."_

His head rested on her shoulder and she couldn't help but smile brightly. She was Cinderella for a night and even though she too did not particularly like Professor Slughorn, she thanked him silently for giving her these moments of innocent happiness  
with Draco.

 _"I feel it.. Wearing this. Thank you Draco."_

The earrings were next, the delicate curve of the gold studs slid smoothly into the small holes where little lion studs had been, much to Draco's amusement at the Slytherin green replacing the symbol of her house. Laughing softly, Hermione spun on her  
heels to face Draco and adjusted his tie, it was time to go and meet their fellow students at the private office of the Potions Master. Thankful that Harry and Ron had point blank declined their invitations sitting that that they were far too busy  
training to be Aurors, Hermione wondered just what Professor Slughorn saw in the students who were in attendance - they weren't the usual elite or famous students and former students of the arrogant man. Nothing about this first meal made sense especially  
as the group was also far smaller than the normal ten-plus students he normally invited.

Offering his arm, Draco stood tall and as refined as his breeding had taught him to be even though inside he felt as nervous as he had when faced with his training broom at the age of six. Hermione Granger had changed before him and he couldn't believe  
he would be escorting the beauty, nor could he believe that she had allowed him to place his colours upon her in the form of the jewellery he had been afraid she would refuse. This tentative friendship and the growing feelings he had when around Hermione  
Granger had the normally calm and collected Malfoy unsettled and dare he admit, nervous. Not that she would ever know - he did not want to scare her away when they were actively creating a peace between Gryffindor and Slytherin students - or as close  
as the two houses would get; Draco believed whole heartedly the inter-house rivalry would rear its head when they faced each other on the Quidditch pitch. Though Harper, Draco decided, was as useless as Longbottom on a bloody broom and an embarrassment  
to the team - if only he could come back as Seeker for Slytherin but he had quit when Voldemort had demanded him be at the mansion and Draco believed that he did not deserve the happiness he felt when wearing his house colours on the pitch.

No more thoughts.

Murmuring under his breath, Draco prayed that the witch at his side had been too lost in her reflection to hear him and escorted her out into the cold corridor ensuring the door was secure with their own personal guards on the oak doorway before uttering  
a single spell to lock it firmly in their wake.

 _"Colloportus!"_

The gathering was well underway as Draco and Hermione made their way to the dungeon office that had once belonged to Severus Snape. Hearing the jovial laughter of Blaise, Draco couldn't help but smile as the two of them hadn't spent time together very  
often as of late. Stepping through the doorway and into the small dining room Slughorn had created no doubt as both knew the space to normally house the vast desk Snape had sat behind looking stoic and as cold as ice; both were greeted with more guests  
who matched the normally successful and famous placing in the Wizarding society that the Slughorn of old liked to keep close knowing he could call on them when he needed something. Meeting Hermione's gaze as Blaise approached them both with none other  
than Blythe Parkin; Draco's Quidditch heroine on his arm; Draco wondered just what was going on as his eyes fell on several members of the national team who had fought so valiantly to be in the upcoming World Cup.

 _"Draco! Miss Granger! Meet Blythe, she's wonderful isn't she? I'm convincing her slowly I think to knock some sense into Harper so Malfoy here can come back and we can get that cup off Gryffindor especially as their team's so new heh Granger?"_

The teasing tone of Blaise in regards to the upcoming Quidditch season at the school had Hermione rolling her eyes - what was it with boys and the sport? Well.. everyone other than her and bloody Quidditch? She just did not understand what was so fun  
about running a risk of being hit by bludgers when Merlin help her; flying up in the air. In truth, Hermione Granger was only afraid of a handful of things and being on a broom was right up there with the possibility of Voldemort himself coming back  
once more to torment those who aligned themselves with her best friend, Harry. She knew they were vastly different but to her, brooms and the snake like monster that was the persecutor of half-bloods and Muggle born witches and wizards both could  
lead to the same outcome; Death.

Choosing to keep her fears to herself lest the handsome Slytherin torment her further, Hermione slipped her arm from Draco's and offered her hand for Blythe to shake; although she immediately regretted it when she felt her fingers being crushed in the  
firm grip of the international seeker.

 _"It is a pleasure Blythe, my friends have told me how utterly incredible you are as a Seeker - I know Draco has several posters of you in his room in our tower. No doubt he will be getting you to sign them for him so he can torment the First Years who already either idolise him or avoid both Blaise and himself."_

Earning herself a glare from both wizards, Hermione couldn't help but laugh at the scandalised look that had appeared on the blonde's face at her obvious knowledge of his plans.. Was he that readable to Granger now? Shaking his head, Draco bowed before  
Blythe and laughed as she recalled how they met before and responded that yes, he did still have the photograph of the two of them standing on the broom. Internally the wizard formerly known as the Prince of Slytherin was delighted to find that he  
had been remembered by Blythe and relieved that she did not mention Lucius in her recollections of one of the best days of his life to date.

 _Forgive Hermione, she's not normal and doesn't appreciate how wonderful it is to have the team here to join us for dinner. I must confess though, I had no idea you were acquainted with Professor Slughorn, I can't recall him attending a Quidditch match here in the past although normally my eyes were on the hunt for the snitch and not who was in attendance. It is however, a rare thing for him not to divulge the names of who will join us on this pleasant evenings.. I believe he has outdone himself tonight although given my love of the sport, I am entirely biased in my opinion_.

Distracted from the conversation taking place, Hermione and Blaise were busy talking about the upcoming Halloween feast and how the prefects along with Hermione and Draco would be busy keeping both students and Peeves in-line. The school may well have  
been slowly recovering but Halloween always brought out the pranksters and those who wished to risk the wrath of Draco and Hermione by sneaking off to darkened corners to either kiss or attempt to further fledgling relationships. Something that would  
lead to fifty points removed from houses at the request of the Headmistress and the embarrassment of the students who were caught; something that Blaise had admitted to having happen to him in his third year by Percy Weasley when the Italian wizard  
had been dating Daphne Greengrass. It had been the final nail in the coffin as far as he was concerned as he had told Hermione how Draco and Theo had tormented him for weeks afterwards. Daphne he said, had taken months to forgive him for not finding  
somewhere more private, and he in turn had admitted he had wanted to be caught so she would end the failing relationship stating that they were always better as friends.

Laughing softly, Hermione and Blaise moved to sit at the large table at the request of Professor Slughorn, finding themselves sat across from Draco and the laughing Blythe Parkin. Feeling both sets of eyes on her, Hermione's fingers rose to the necklace  
adorning her delicate neck before dipping her head down to listen to what Morag was saying about the upcoming tests in Transfiguration - clearly the Headmistress thought tests and exams were a good way to restore normality to the school although a  
large proportion of her students would disagree wholeheartedly. Hermione however, had found a soul mate when it came to studying in the form of Morag and was thankful for a distraction from the continuing conversation of Quidditch that could be heard  
around the table. Lost in conversation, Hermione did not notice the way Blaise was looking at her whilst whispering to Draco.

 _"That's a Malfoy heirloom as are the matching earring that Miss Granger's wearing, and not just any old necklace either - that's the one your Mother said would be handed down to the next Lady Malfoy._

 _What is going on Draco, only you're on edge and I've noticed you're not being your usual Lothario self? Have you got designs on Granger mate because props to you, she's certainly quite the looker this year and somehow she looks all the more attractive with those scars adorning her pretty little face."_

Scowling at his friend, Draco's eyes drifted to the Head Girl and felt a genuine smile grow at how beautiful she looked. He'd thought of the necklace after they had jokingly agreed that for this dinner they would both wear Slytherin green, and the next  
the red of Gryffindor. Anything to provoke curiosity from their friends and to show others that it was entirely possible to wear something that was the colour of another house without losing any shred of loyalty to their house. Though they both admitted  
it was mainly to wind up Blaise and see what the Italian would say at a Gryffindor wearing his beloved green and silver - Draco hadn't imagined Blaise would make him wound up. The fact that the necklace was destined for his future wife, Astoria bloody  
Greengrass (thanks to the agreement made with their Fathers) had been forgotten when he had requested that the Gringotts goblins release it to his house-elf.

 _"I thought it would look nice on her, she's choosing something for me if we're allowed back here next month. Not everything is about shagging and getting another notch on the bed you know."_

Hissing under his breath, Draco glared at his best friend and confidante before kicking him swiftly in the shin, the blonde's attention shifted towards the Professor and the two former students on either side of him. An avid conversation was going on  
and Draco could make out Slughorn telling Edric Vosper, the England and former Slytherin Chaser about how his predecessor had indeed killed Albus Dumbledore and how heartbreaking it was to know the esteemed leader of the Light had been found on the  
floor of the Astronomy Tower.. Gritting his teeth, Draco pushed out the soft dulcet tone of Hermione and Morag laughing at a joke Blaise was telling them; one he was ninety percent certain was involving himself as the butt of it.

Why was Slughorn bringing up the events of that night when Severus had saved Draco himself from becoming a cold blooded killer for the Dark Lord. The truth had come out of course, and Snape had been shown to be a true hero of the Light and not as the  
ruthless and conniving servant to the Dark as he had been deemed to be for so long. Draco knew the truth, knew that his Godfather was a good man and was missed dearly by the Slytherins who had been able to talk with the reserved Head of House about  
anything and known that he would keep their confidence.

The derogatory way Slughorn was talking about Severus was making Draco furious, he longed to stand and leave the dining room and return to the quiet of the lounge in his tower. Except Hermione and he were to patrol shortly and the anger that was coursing  
through his veins would mean he would be especially ruthless when handing out punishments; for a brief moment he pitied anyone up after curfew when he got hold of them.

 _"Ah Draco my boy! I was just telling Edric about my predecessor's unfortunate part in the Battle - I believe you were his Godson am I right? I do sympathise with you Draco on the weight that must rest on your shoulders that both your Father and Godfather were so blind in their loyalty that neither is here now."_

Draco sat in utter shock, unable to formulate any coherent response to the Professor. Chewing on the inside of his cheek he chose to silently accept the glass of Firewhisky Hermione pushed his way, her eyes widened in amazement at the audacity of what  
the Professor had said, and more accurately the cruel way the Head of Slytherin was trying to get a reaction from her friend.

 _"Don't give him the satisfaction Draco, just calm and we'll get the answers you want."_

In that moment, Draco decided that Hermione Granger was indeed the greatest witch of the generation, not because of her intelligence but her compassionate heart and awareness of those around her. He was drowning in darkness that had been woken once more  
by the reminder of what his Father had done, the Malfoy name was ruined, tainted forever Draco wondered because Lucius had believed the words of a madman for the majority of his life.

 _"I'm not my Father Sir, nor am I like my Godfather - I am my own person and I assure you, I won't allow my name to be dragged any further into the dirt."_

No, Draco swore to himself.. He would find out what Slughorn was up to and destroy the bastard.


End file.
